Fish Recall Issued Over Listeria Concerns

By Allison Schonter

Health officials in the UK are urging consumers to check their recent purchases after fish were linked to a concerning bacteria. Waitrose on June 7 issued a recall of its Waitrose 2 British Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout Fillets due to listeria contamination. The recall was issued after Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes listeria infections, was found in the product.

Consumers were alerted to the recall in a notice posted to the UK's Food Standards Agency's website. According to that notice, the specific product affected by the recall is Waitrose 2 British Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout Fillets in the 125 gram pack size. The recalled filets have a "Use By: date of "11 June 2022." The recall seems to only impact consumers in the UK, where the recall was issued, though the notice did not specify what regions the recalled rainbow trout filets were distributed to or what stores they were sold at. It also did not mention if any illnesses have been reported in connection to the recall.

Listeria monocytogenes is a concerning bacterium that causes listeria, a serious infection typically caused by consuming contaminated food. Although listeria infection typically goes unnoticed or may cause very mild gastrointestinal illness, young children, frail or elderly people, pregnant women, and others with weakened immune systems may experience more serious symptoms. It can cause high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. In some cases, it can be fatal. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Due to the risk listeria contamination poses to consumers, the Food Standards Agency is advising consumers not to eat the recalled Waitrose 2 British Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout Fillets if they have purchased them. The filets should instead be returned to the store from where it was bought for a full refund. Point of sale notices, which explain why the product is being recalled, are also being displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product.

The recall follows a similar alert issued by multiple agencies just months ago. In April, the Food Standards Agency, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and Food Standards Scotland announced they were investigating an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to smoked fish. At the time, a notice informed consumers that cases were identified in England and Scotland and had occurred over a span of several months, dating back to 2020. The "majority" of the individuals infected reported eating smoked fish. Consumers were advised to take steps to reduce the risk of contracting listeria, such as keeping chilled ready-to-eat smoked fish cold, using products by their use-by date, and cooking or reheating smoked fish until it is "piping hot right through."

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