Cowansville, Quebec, Canada-based Gosselin Smokehouses is recalling its Gosselin Smokehouses brand Maple Smoked Salmon in Quebec due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The recall was initiated by Gosselin Smokehouses and no illnesses have been reported, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said in a press release.
CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, “which may lead to the recall of other products,” the agency said.
“If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated food recall warnings,” it said.
The Maple Smoked Salmon was distributed in Quebec and the recall includes lot number 124421.
Banner Smoked Fish in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. also recently recalled all of its smoked fish products within expiry in all packages, due the potential they may contain traces of listeria.
Separately, a salmonella outbreak involving cooked shrimp exported by Hyderabad, India-based Avanti Frozen Foods has been declared over by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Nine illnesses related to the contamination were recorded by the CDC, including three hospitalizations.
The shrimp was sold in under multiple brand names including 365, Ahold, Big River, Censea, Chicken of the Sea, CWNO, First Street, Food Lion, Hannaford, Harbor Banks, Honest Catch, HOS, Meijer, Nature’s Promise, Open Acres, Sandbar, Sea Cove, Waterfront Bistro, Wellsley Farms, and WFNO Brands.
Avanti, which is owned by Thai Union, said in its most recent earnings call it had already charged off INR 41 million (USD 553,000, EUR 477,000) in Q1 as a result of the recall. With the recall now wrapping up, Avanti Joint Managing Director C. Ramachandra Rao said the company’s preliminary estimate is that the recall will end up costing between INR 150 million and INR 200 million (USD 2 million and USD 2.7 million, EUR 1.8 million and EUR 2.3 million)
The recall, which covers products exported to the U.S. between November 2020 and May 2021, included more than 613 metric tons of shrimp with a total value of INR 500 million (USD 6.7 million, EUR 5.8 million), Rao said, adding the company should have a better idea of its total cost by December 2021.
“The company is in the process of ascertaining the inventory of the products with consignees distributed, etc. and evaluate the possibility of the extent … of returns that could come for claim,” Rao said.
Rao said the recall was “not a normal thing” for Avanti and that the company had augmented its food safety procedures.
“It is something which has happened an aberration and I think in the course of time we will be able to solve these issues and we have already taken lot of efforts to strengthen our check and systems, engaging the food safety, public health, consumer safety and regulatory compliances. And they have all been giving very fruitful results and we should be able to resolve these issues very soon, and come back to normal,” Rao said. “We do not foresee any serious impact on account of this on our image of company or reputation of the company. Since this kind of situation never happened in the past two and half decades; and it is the first time that it is happening, and we are confident that in consultation, in discussion with the customers we will be able to establish whatever the necessary steps are taken. We will do it and give them the confidence that such situation will never arise.”
Photo courtesy of Canadian Food Inspection Agency
