Smoked Salmon Spread recall for Listeria

[notyard]

FDA alert on smoked salmon spread recall for Listeria:

Jensen's Old Fashioned Smokehouse Inc. Recalls Jensen's Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion, and PCC brand Smoked Salmon Spread Because of Possible Health Risk
Contact:
Mike Jensen
206-669-7590

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Seattle, WA -- September 7, 2007 -- Jensen's Old Fashioned Smokehouse Inc. of Seattle, WA is recalling 480 tubs of Jensen's Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion and 132 tubs of PCC brand Smoked Salmon Spread all–natural, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion, and PCC brand Smoked Salmon Spread all – natural were distributed in retail stores in Western Washington.

Jensen's Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion is coded Sell By 10/14/07 and 10/15/07, and PCC brand Smoked Salmon Spread all–natural is coded Sell By 9/29/07. Both products were sold in 7 oz. plastic tubs.

No illnesses have been CONFIRMED to date. The recall was the result of a routine sampling program by the company which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria.

Consumers who have purchased Jensen's Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion, and PCC brand Smoked Salmon Spread all – natural are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the Quality Assurance Department at Jensen's Smokehouse at 206-364-5569.

At least the company caught it themselves, but I must question the value of performing micro testing and releasing product before the testing is complete--or any other quality testing. You wouldn't believe the pressure you get at times, though, from product planners and corporate to release product before testing is complete. Gee, delay an order a couple of days, or end up with a press release and a recall like this one in the public eye....!

[wbarker]

Thanks for posting! This is a bacteria to beware of!!