Costco’s fish supplier has recalled thousands of packages of smoked salmon over fears of listeria contamination, its third recall in days.
The bulk store said packages of Kirkland Signature smoked salmon sold from Oct. 9 to Oct. 13 were affected and must be returned for a refund.
The potentially contaminated items have the lot number 8512801270 printed in the upper right corner of the package and should not be eaten, Costco wrote in a letter.
Acme Smoked Fish Corp, which supplies smoked salmon to Costco, initiated the recall after it identified possible listeria contamination.
Costco’s fish supplier has recalled thousands of packages of smoked salmon over fears of listeria contamination, its third recall in days.
The bulk store said packages of Kirkland Signature smoked salmon sold from Oct. 9 to Oct. 13 were affected and must be returned for a refund.
The recall of the products was not an indication of a confirmed listeria outbreak and no illnesses related to the affected fish were reported.
Costco recalled many other products days earlier after being caught up in two other listeria contamination scares from large suppliers that hit major supermarkets.
They included Nutristore Freeze Dried Deluxe Meat and other ready-to-eat chicken products made by BrucePac, which recalled more than 11.7 million pounds of meat, and 24 packages of Krusteaz Belgian waffles made by TreeHouse Foods.
Listeria is a deadly bacteria that causes the third most deaths from food-related illnesses in the U.S., after salmonella and toxoplasma gondii.
About 1,600 people are infected each year and 260 die, according to estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Food processing facilities are one of the places where bacteria can spread and contaminate food, the CDC said.
Potentially contaminated items have the lot number 8512801270 printed in the upper right corner of the package and should not be consumed.
The three Costco recalls were the latest in a series of outbreaks, scares and recalls in the U.S. this year.
Eating foods with listeria monocytogenes can cause a person to develop a listeriosis infection, which is extremely dangerous for older adults, people with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women along with their newborns.
Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures, and can lead to death.
All of these symptoms can appear after diarrhea or other digestive problems.
Pregnant women can suffer miscarriages, stillbirths, or premature delivery of their baby if they are infected with listeria.
The three Costco recalls were the latest in a series of outbreaks, scares and recalls across the United States this year.
Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches this week recalled burgers sold at stores and truck stops in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming, also for listeria.
The burgers feature ingredients from BrucePac and include the group’s Pepper Jack and Bacon cheeseburgers, and a ground round known as the Gambler.
Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches this week recalled burgers sold at stores and truck stops in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming, also for listeria.
BrucePac earlier this month recalled more than 11.7 million pounds of meat that was produced between June 19, 2024 and October 8, 2024.
That recall had a ripple effect on its customers across the United States, including Dakota Tom’s.
Also this month, 1,271 boxes of green onions were voluntarily recalled by Brothers of the Church LLC on October 18.
This followed the discovery of a single product sample collected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that “indicated the presence of Salmonella.”
The recalled products were distributed to a small number of stores in Canada and the United States in eleven states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.
Products in stores, including the popular neighborhood grocery store Trader Joe’s, are being recalled for possible contamination.
Church Brothers LLC voluntarily recalled 1,271 boxes of green onions on October 18
Several varieties of frozen waffles, including Walmart’s Great Value and Target’s Good & Gather, made by TreeHouse Foods were recalled due to possible listeria contamination.
Several varieties of frozen waffles, including Walmart’s Great Value and Target’s Good & Gather, made by TreeHouse Foods were recalled due to possible listeria contamination the same week.
They were also sold at Dollar General, Aldi’s, Food Lion, Tops, Hannaford, HEB, PriceChopper, Publix, Schnucks, Southeastern Grocers and Harris Teeter.
In September, 65 people became ill and 24 of them were hospitalized with listeria after eating eggs sold at Milo’s Poultry Farms and Tony’s Fresh Market.
The outbreak originated at Milo’s Poultry Farms in Bonduel, Wisconsin, where they discovered the responsible strain in a laying hen coop and packing facility.
Wiers Farm voluntarily recalled some of its whole and bagged salad cucumbers sold at Walmart in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio in July over concerns they may have been contaminated with listeria.
Wiers Farm voluntarily recalled some of its whole and bagged salad cucumbers sold at Walmart in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio in July over concerns they may have been contaminated with listeria.
In September, 65 people became ill and 24 of them were hospitalized with listeria after eating eggs sold at Milo’s Poultry Farms and Tony’s Fresh Market.
Previously, at least one person died and 22 were hospitalized among 75 reported cases of E. coli in McDonald’s quarter-pound burgers in 13 states.
Dessert maker Totally Cool recalled products from more than a dozen brands and 70 different products in June after the FDA revealed they could be contaminated with listeria.
Affected treats included Friendly’s ice cream cakes, Hershey’s ice cream cones and Jeni’s sandwiches.
Hormel Foods Sales issued a recall for 4-ounce packages of Planters Honey Roasted Peanuts and 8.75-ounce cans of Planters Deluxe Lightly Salted Mixed Nuts in five states in May.
The at-risk products were distributed to Publix warehouses in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina, as well as Dollar Tree warehouses in South Carolina and Georgia.
Listeria found its way into 7.2 million pounds of liverwurst and other meats, prompting Boar’s Head to ditch liverwurst for good and close the plant.
The largest foodborne pathogen outbreak occurred at deli giant Boar’s Head, when listeria contamination at its Virginia plant killed 10 people and hospitalized 59 in 19 states in July.
Listeria found its way into 7.2 million pounds of liverwurst and other meats, prompting Boar’s Head to ditch liverwurst for good and close the plant.
So far this year, 1,905 food or cosmetic products have been recalled, up from 1,563 in 2023, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
However, there were 2,549 recalls in 2014, and recalls were generally more common before the Covid pandemic.
“There may be a perception that the number of recall events has increased, particularly if a recall event has a large number of products affected; however, the number of food-related recall events (in 2024) is generally consistent with years,” the FDA said.
Experts said more recalls were actually a sign of better contamination testing by food companies over the past two decades.
