US hit by two fish recalls

20-Dec-2012 - Last updated on 20-Dec-2012 at 08:25 GMT

Nathan’s Brand Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon 3 oz recalled

The US has been hit by two separate fish recalls linked to Clostridium botulinum and listeria in the space of a week.

True Taste is recalling hot smoked vacuum packaged Rainbow Trout, Whitefish, Herring, Mackerel, Salmon Steak and Cold Smoked varieties Mackerel and Whitefish because they could be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.

Ocean’s Beauty Seafoods is recalling Nathan’s Brand Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon 3 oz and LASCCO Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon 4 oz.

Botulism in True Taste fish

True Taste of Kenosha, Wisconsin, issued a market withdrawal on 18 December and it affects products with production dates beginning on 1 January 2012 to the current date.

Potential for contamination was identified after routine samples collected by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection found that the product did not meet the 3.5% minimum requirement for water phase salt.

Sample analysis reported water phase salt concentrations of 2.2% (hot smoked white fish); 3% (hot smoked herring); and 3.4% (hot smoked rainbow trout).

The recalled product is vacuum packaged and can be identified with either the True Taste Label in California and Illinois or the Lowell Foods Label in Illinois.

It has a white sticker applied to the package with the first set of numbers representing the date of processing and the second set of numbers representing the best if used by date.

No illnesses have been reported as yet but Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.

Nathan’s brand linked to listeria

Ocean Beauty Seafoods is recalling 371 cases of ready-to-eat cold smoked salmon products because of possible contamination by listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled products, made in Chile, were distributed to retailers from 20 November to 12 December.

The potential for contamination was noted after internal testing by the company revealed the presence of listeria monocytogenes in samples.

No other Ocean Beauty products are included and there have been no complaints or illnesses reported.

Lascco 4 oz Nova Salmon with the UPC 072840017517 involves 96 cases of fish and Nathan’s 3oz Nova Salmon 073030803682 involves 275 cases.