Smoked salmon sold at Sam’s Club stores has been recalled in 42 states, including California, and Puerto Rico over listeria concerns.
The companies are pulling the product “with an overabundance of caution,” according to a Wal-Mart statement. The fish recall is for “Cold smoked salmon in 12-ounce twin packs – which are vacuum-sealed with a cardboard sleeve – and 1.25-pound bundles under the brand ‘Paramount Reserve.’” The recalled products were distributed to retail outlets between November 12 and December 21. They can be taken back to retail stores for a full refund.
The bacteria, listeria monocytogenes, was found during a standard lab test on a shipment of the product before distributed to stores, according to The Los Angeles Times. The bacteria can cause fatal infections in the elderly, the young and those with weak immune systems, but healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. There have been no illnesses related to the smoked salmon being recalled until now.
The recall was first launched last week, but was expanded to 42 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Montana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia) this week.
This year, listeria caused recalls of foods as diverse as popcorn, sliced apples, herring and salad.
