Officials Investigating Death: May be Linked to Recalled Shrimp

On March 3, 2012, Martin’s Super Markets voluntarily recalled frozen shrimp. The notice did not mention the reason for the recall.

Product details:

• Harvest of the Sea brand Quick and Fit Raw, Tail On, Peeled and Cleaned Frozen Shrimp
• 21-25 count
• 16-ounce packages
• UPC number 72087-01121

Four days later, Harvest of the Sea issued a statement saying they had “no plans to issue a recall for any Harvest of the Sea shrimp products sold at the Martin’s Super Market chain. The FDA considers this matter closed.”

That same day, the FDA informed Martin’s Super Markets that the shrimp pulled from shelves is safe for consumption.

And on that same day, northern Indiana health officials started investigating whether a South Bend man’s death was associated with that recalled shrimp. On February 17, 2012, Memorial Hospital in South Bend notified the country health department that a man was ill with a type of bacteria, Vibrio fulvialsis, that is naturally occurring in seafood, including shrimp.

A bag of this shrimp from the man’s freezer was tested; it carried Vibrio fulvialsis. It’s possible that the shrimp the man ate was not prepared properly. And the victim had another illness that made him more susceptible to bacterial infections.

Remember that only three types of bacteria in foods are considered adulterants: E. coli 0157:H7 in beef, Salmonella in ready-to-eat foods, and Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods. The shrimp was raw and had to be cooked before eating.