Smoked Salmon and Salmonella Thompson – Update

The following contains updated information and is current as of October 3, 2012. Updated information is indicated in red.

CDC, FDA, and USDA are cooperating in an ongoing investigation of Salmonella Thompson illnesses that may be linked to a concurrent outbreak in the Netherlands.

The US investigation began last month (September) into 85 cases of a single genetic type of Salmonella Thompson that were reported by 27 states since July 1st, according to CDC spokesperson Lola Russell. Ten people have been hospitalized; there have been no deaths.

This is a fairly common strain of Salmonella Thompson, and CDC would normally expect to see approximately 30 “background” cases during the same period.

The epidemiological investigation into the source of the 85 illnesses is being carried out by the various state health agencies in cooperation with CDC. It would not be surprising, according to CDC, if some of the 85 cases are found to be unrelated to the outbreak.

CDC is not yet ready to release a list of the affected states; however, eFoodAlert has learned that the following states are in the process of investigating one or more Salmonella Thompson illnesses:

Alabama: 1 case
Arizona: 1 case; a child
Colorado: 2 cases
Illinois: 2 cases
Maryland: 10 cases; age range 5 years to 77 years; most cases in the Baltimore metropolitan area
Nebraska: 6 cases; age range is 3 months to 61 years; two people hospitalized; illnesses reported from the east central region of Nebraska
New Hampshire: 1 case; an adult resident of Rockingham County who was hospitalized, but has since recovered
New York: 4 cases; no geographic cluster
Texas: 1 case
Virginia: 1 case

No cases are under investigation at this time in Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah or Washington.

All of the people with whom I’ve communicated at the federal and state level have emphasized that there has not been an epidemiological link made between the illnesses under investigation in the USA and the consumption of smoked salmon. Nevertheless, the outbreak strain appears to be the same as the strain that is behind the Dutch outbreak, and CDC is recommending that the public avoid eating smoked salmon originating from the Dutch producer.

On September 28th, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority announced the recall of smoked salmon manufactured by Foppen Paling en Zalm and sold through major supermarket chains, including Aldi and Albert Heijn.

On October 1st, the Netherlands issued an alert through the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, notifying member countries that a sample of smoked salmon originating from Greece was contaminated with Salmonella Thompson. Associated Press reports that the contaminated smoked salmon was processed at Foppen’s factory in Greece.

Foppen has initiated a recall of the following products, sorted by retailer:

Albert Heijn

AH smoked salmon cubes. EAN: 8710400130574
AH smoked salmon. EAN: 8710400383932
AH smoked salmon. EAN: 8718265066915
AH salmon sandwich slices. EAN: 8710400383956
AH hot smoked salmon. All
AH salmon salad. EAN: 8718265473072
Euro Shopper smoked salmon. EAN: 8712224125903
AH Excellent Scottish salmon fillet. EAN: 8710400383970
AH Excellent salmon season. EAN: 8718265473164
AH Excellent smoked salmon fillet. All
AH pure & honest Sockeye salmon. EAN: 8710400628101

Aldi

Smoked salmon fillet. 200 grams; EAN: with number 23066250 GB-6115EG; Foppen Eel and Salmon on back of package

Hema

Salmon sliced. 100 grams; Item number 27552001
Salmon Slices. 100g; Item number 27552003

Makro

Horeca Select Graved Lachs. EAN: 8711576082247
Foppen Salmon. 3 x 100 grams; EAN: 8712224140005
Aro salmon sliced. 200 grams; EAN: 8711576041671
Catering selectable pcs salmon slices. EAN: 8711576082285
Catering select salmon pieces. EAN: 8711576086474
Catering select salmon slit. EAN: 8711576082278
Toast Salmon. 283 grams; Foppen EAN: 8712224129314
Catering select salmon slices. EAN: 8711576082261
Catering select sockeye salmon. EAN: 8711576084531
Catering select salmon toast. EAN: 8711576154890

Plus

Plus Salmon fillet. All
Plus Sockeye salmon, sliced. EAN: 8710624991289
Plus Salmon slit. EAN: 8710624938246
Salmon sliced. 100 grams; EAN: 8710624943837

Dirk van den Broek, Bas van der Heijden and Digros

Salmon sliced. 200 grams; EAN: 8710871082907

Coop, Coop Super

Coop selectable long sliced salmon. 125g
Sockeyezalm sliced. 125g
Sockeyezalm gravad lachs. 125g; EAN: 8712224129321

BONI, CoopCodis and Jan Linders

Smoked Salmon Salad (craft box). EAN: 8710378571645

Boni, MCD, Agri Market, Coop, Super Coop, Dane, Dekamarkt, Bas van der Heijden, Dirk van den Broek, Digros, EMTÉ Hoogvliet, Jan Linders, Nettorama, Poiesz, Plus, Vomar, Spar

Vismarine Scottish salmon fillet. EAN: 8710624008383
Vismarine 100 grams carved salmon. EAN: 8710624008369
Vismarine 200 grams carved salmon. EAN: 8710624008321
Salmon sliced. 200 grams; EAN: 8712224127945
Vismarine Sandwich Salmon. 100g; EAN: 8710624100254

The implicated product was sold in the USA through Costco, as Foppen Norwegian Smoked Salmon Slices (12 oz) and Kirkland Signature Norwegian Imported Smoked Salmon (2 x 12 oz). FDA is working to determine whether any other retailers in the USA carried the Foppen smoked salmon.

The recalled products were exported to a number of countries in addition to the USA, including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Mexico, Switzerland and Taiwan. The China Post reported today that Costco Wholesale Corp has withdrawn all smoked salmon processed by Foppen from its Taiwan stores.

Even though CDC and state health authorities have not yet established a link between the smoked salmon and this outbreak strain, CDC recommends that the public should not consume smoked salmon products manufactured by Foppen at this time.