The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has assigned its most serious risk classification (Class I) to two food recalls, both linked to smoked seafood products, over concerns they were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalls cover Starfish Seafood Cold Smoked Norwegian Salmon and Starfish Seafood Cold Smoked Trio Salmon Halibut Trout, according to FDA enforcement reports. Both recalls were designated Class I on November 3, meaning the agency considers it to be “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.” The two voluntary recalls were initiated by Krasnyi Oktyabr Inc., a wholesale distributor based in Brooklyn, New York, on October 6.
Both remain listed as ongoing cases in the enforcement reports. The recalled Norwegian salmon is a frozen product, carries UPC 4751048940099, lot D080-148, and a best-before date of November 27, 2027. The trio comes in 8-ounce vacuum-sealed packages and carries lot number D139149161-153, an expiration date of December 1, 2027, and UPC 4751048940341.
Both products originated in Latvia, and the enforcement reports say that 86 cases of each product have been recalled. The FDA's enforcement reports list the distribution of both products in New York, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, and North Carolina. However, earlier company announcements posted by the FDA give somewhat different distribution lists.
The trio was originally reported as being distributed in New York, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and South Carolina, while the Norwegian salmon was reportedly distributed in New York, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The recalls followed testing by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. According to the FDA-posted announcements, potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination was identified through state sampling of the products, prompting Krasnyi Oktyabr Inc. to initiate the recalls.
It’s worth noting that the company is the wholesale distributor and not the manufacturer of the products. No illnesses had been reported in connection with either product when the announcements were issued. Consumers who bought the affected products have been advised not to eat them and to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can contaminate food and cause an infection known as listeriosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1,250 people become infected and 172 die from Listeria infections in the U.S. each year. Those at greatest risk of serious illness include pregnant women and newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems, although most other people who become infected don’t usually become seriously ill.
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