An urgent recall has been announced for packaged smoked salmon sold across six states after regulators raised concerns about possible contamination with a potentially dangerous bacterium.
Krasnyi Oktyabr Inc., a New York-based company, is voluntarily recalling its frozen Starfish Seafood Premium Cold Smoked Norwegian Salmon because it may contain Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria responsible for listeriosis.
The affected product comes in 8-ounce (227-gram) vacuum-sealed plastic packages sold under the Starfish Seafood brand.
The recalled salmon was distributed in New York, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Consumers can identify it by lot number D080-148.
The recall began after the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets detected the potential contamination.
No illnesses have been linked to the product so far.
Krasnyi Oktyabr Inc. is a wholesale distributor rather than the product’s manufacturer. The salmon’s listed country of origin is Latvia.
The company is working with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, has contacted affected customers and asked them to stop using or distributing the salmon. Those customers have also been instructed to notify anyone who may have received the product.
An urgent recall has been announced for packaged smoked salmon sold in six states because of possible contamination with potentially dangerous bacteria (stock)
The recall follows another Listeria-related action involving the same company. On Monday, Starfish Seafood Trio — a combination of cold-smoked salmon, halibut and trout — was removed from store shelves over similar contamination concerns.
The FDA is advising anyone who purchased the recalled salmon not to eat it. Customers should return the product to the store where it was bought.
Officials have not determined how the smoked salmon may have become contaminated. Listeria can spread through contact with contaminated soil, water, decaying plant material or animal manure.
Krasnyi Oktyabr Inc.’s seafood trio was recalled Monday because of concerns that it may also have been exposed to Listeria.
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That action covered 8-ounce (227-gram) vacuum-sealed plastic packages sold under the Starfish brand. The products were distributed in New York, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The trio can be identified by lot number D139149161-153 and carries an expiration date of December 1, 2027.
The company has not said how the seafood mix may have come into contact with Listeria. No illnesses were reported in connection with that recall either.
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The recall covers 8-ounce (227-gram) vacuum-sealed plastic packages sold under the Starfish Seafood brand
The FDA advises customers who purchased the recalled product not to eat it and to return it to the place of purchase
Many foods can harbor the bug, but it is usually found in unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses and ready-to-eat foods, such as pre-packed sandwiches.
Cooked shellfish, cured meats and fish, including sushi and pre-cut fruit, are also a risk.
While most of the 1,250 Americans infected with listeria each year recover on their own, the infection can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
About 250 Americans die of the infection each year, which can occur if the infection spreads beyond the gut and affects the central nervous system.