The recall of roe in Canada for possible botulism contamination has been updated again. Imperial Caviar & Seafood and VIP Caviar Club have recalled whitefish roe and salmon roe for Clostridium botulinum, and have updated those recalls five times since late November, 2017. No illnesses have been reported in connection with these issues.
These products were distributed in Quebec at the retail level. This recall is correctly identifying the affected product from the recall dated January 11, 2018. The Imperial product outer package product information, and VIP Caviar Club inner package information is corrected.
The recalled items are Imperial Caviar & Seafood Golden Whitefish Roe in 50 gram packages. The code on the outer package is 151218, and the UPC number is 1 86866 00012 2. Also recalled is VIP Caviar Club Whitefish Roe in 50 gram packages. The code on the inner package is 34917 BB-15-DEC-2018 and there is no UPC number on the inner package.
If you purchased these items, do not eat them. Throw them away in a double bagged or otherwise sealed container in a secure garbage can, or take them back to the place of purchase for a full refund.
The symptoms of botulism food poisoning can include facial paralysis, loss of expression, fixed pupils, unreactive pupils, drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, and a change in the sound of the voice. These symptoms can occur within a few hours of ingesting the botulism toxin.
The paralysis caused by this toxin spreads downward through the body in a parallel fashion. Eventually, muscles controlling breathing are affected. If anyone is experiencing these symptoms, they should be taken to an emergency room immediately.
