Vita Food Products of Illinois is recalling 1,878 pounds of smoked salmon sold at various supermarkets because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported to date, but listeriosis can take months to manifest.
The recalled product is Vita Classic Premium Sliced Smoked Atlantic Salmon in 4 ounce packages. The packages are plastic film and vacuum sealed. They are black, with the Vita logo centered at the bottom. The sell by date is Aug 17, 2014 and the lot number is 00764B. One package of the salmon tested positive for the pathogenic bacteria by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The product was sent to Hannaford grocery stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire; H-E-B grocery stores in Texas; and Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina beginning on April 7, 2014. If you purchased this product, do not eat it. Discard in a closed container or return to the place of purchase for a refund. And make sure you clean your refrigerator with a mild bleach solution, since Listeria bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures.
If you ate any of this product, you must watch yourself for the symptoms of listeriosis, the illness caused by the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, for the next 70 days. That’s how long it can take to get sick after exposure. The symptoms include high fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria infections can cause stillbirth and miscarriage in pregnant women, who may only have a mild illness. If you do become ill, see your doctor immediately and tell her you ate this recalled product.
