The USDA has issued a public health alert for siluriformes imported from Brazil because that country is ineligible to export these fish to the United States. A recall was not recommended for these catfish because the government believes that the item is no longer available for sale in stores for purchase by consumers.
The frozen whole siluriformes products were produced on April 23, 2021. EB Express Provisions Inc. is the importer of record. That firm is located in Newark, New Jersey.
The recalled item is 13 to 14 pound cases of “Gutted Frozen Fish Scientific Name: Hypostomus.” The production date printed on the label is 23/04/21. The whole frozen fish were removed from the cases and sold individually, by weight, in plastic bags at Mass. Mineirao Markets. The fish is identified with an ineligible establishment number S.I.F. 188 on the packaging. The product does not bear a USDA mark of inspection. The siluriformes imported from Brazil were shipped to retail locations in Massachusetts.
The issue was discovered when FSIS followed up on a referral from USDA’s Smuggling Interdiction & Trade Compliance Program, regarding Cascudo fish (Hypostomus sp), of the order Siluriformes, product of Brazil. FSIS is concerned that some of this product may be frozen in consumers’ home freezers.
If you purchased this product, which is siluriformes imported from Brazil, do not eat it. You can throw it away in a sealed garbage can, after first double bagging the package so other people can’t access it. Or you can take it back to the store where you bought it for a full refund.
