Costco initiates salmon item withdrawal due to potential listeria contamination issues.
Listeria is a microorganism that taints meals and leads to listeriosis, which is the third most deadly food-related disease in the U.S., as indicated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This bacterium can spread in food processing facilities, according to the aforementioned organization.
Costco claimed certain packages of its Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon, acquired between October 9 and October 13, were impacted by a recall, as mentioned in an October 22 letter to consumers. The affected packages include the lot number 8512801270, which can be found in the upper right corner of the product's front packaging. Consumers are advised not to consume these products and can return them to Costco for a full refund.
The recall was initiated by the supplier of the smoked salmon, Acme Smoked Fish Corp., which discovered potential listeria bacteria in their product. No illnesses have been reported.
Costco's recall comes at a time when foodborne illnesses have attracted significant attention.
In July, over 7.2 million pounds of Boar's Head liverwurst and other deli meats were recalled because of a deadly listeria outbreak. At least 10 deaths and 59 hospitalizations have been reported across 19 states due to this listeria outbreak, according to the CDC.
The century-old deli meat producer discontinued the sale of liverwurst and closed the Virginia plant linked to the outbreak. Boar's Head has faced scrutiny from lawmakers after reports surfaced in 2022 suggested the possibility of listeria contamination at their food processing plant.
Besides listeria, there has been an E. coli outbreak associated with Quarter Pounders at McDonald's stores in several states. At least 75 illnesses have been reported due to this E. coli outbreak, with 22 hospitalizations and at least one death across 13 states, as per the CDC and the US Food and Drug Administration.
In October, there have been multiple instances of recalls for potential listeria contamination, like Costco's salmon products, according to the FDA, which tracks public announcements. While the recalls follow the Boar's Head listeria outbreak and McDonald's E. coli outbreak, experts told CNN that an increase in recalls due to potential contamination is not necessarily a cause for concern.
Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, told CNN it's essential to distinguish between a recall and an actual listeria outbreak.
On October 24, the FDA announced a recall of chicken taco kits produced by Sprouts Farmers Markets over potential listeria contamination. The items had previously been recalled by the producer on October 11, according to a news release. On October 22, an expanded recall for potential listeria contamination was issued for waffle and pancake products manufactured by Treehouse Foods, according to the FDA. The food processing company previously recalled numerous frozen waffle products sold at Target, Walmart, Publix and other stores due to potential listeria contamination on October 18, according to a news release.
Earlier in October, nearly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry were recalled by producer BrucePac due to possible listeria contamination, according to the US Department of Agriculture. This massive recall affected numerous frozen and ready-to-eat chicken products across stores and schools nationwide.
There has been an increase in recalls over potential listeria concerns, but this does not mean there has been a new surge in listeria outbreaks, Diez-Gonzalez said. Outbreaks indicate people have fallen ill, while recalls happen because of the detection of potential contamination.
There have been no reported illnesses from the listeria-related October recalls, and recalling the products in time can help prevent illnesses, Diez-Gonzalez said.
According to the CDC, a foodborne disease outbreak is classified as when two or more people fall ill from the same contaminated product. Only one listeria outbreak has been reported in 2023, which was the Boar's Head outbreak.
Increased food recalls might suggest improved testing in a complex food system
According to the FDA's recall dashboard, there have been 1,905 recalled food or cosmetic products in 2023, up from 1,563 in 2022. However, 2023 recalls are generally in line with or below pre-pandemic levels. For instance, there were 2,549 recalled food or cosmetic products in 2013, a decade prior.
According to a spokesperson for the FDA, the number of food-related recall events in 2023 is generally consistent with prior years.
“There may be a perception that the amount of recalls has increased particularly if one recall event has a large number of affected products, however the number of food related recall events in (2023) is generally consistent with years past,” the spokesperson said.
In fact, Diez-Gonzalez said the recent upticks in recalls could be evidence of heightened precautions and monitoring by companies.
“There are more companies testing,” Diez-Gonzalez said. “It’s not that the numbers of products contaminated really are increasing, but the more we have those systems in place, the more you’re going to be finding it, and the more you’re going to recall.”
Additionally, Diez-Gonzalez said the US food system is complex, and one factor that has contributed to the size of the recalls has been the consolidation of the food supply, where one processing company like BrucePac has distribution to multiple states across the country.
Diez-Gonzalez also said that across the past two decades, there has been an increased focus on microbiological testing and implementing surveillance processes to detect potential instances of listeria.
“As a result of enhanced surveillance and enhanced testing, the frequency of withdrawal of products from market has increased,” he said.
Approximately 1,600 individuals might fall victim to listeria annually, leading to around 260 fatalities, as suggested by the CDC's estimations. Deli meats, it seems, are more prone to listeria outbreaks, the CDC maintains, and the bacterium can easily spread across countertops.
In an optimal world, companies would detect contaminated products prior to their distribution, reducing the negative impact on their reputation, Diez-Gonzalez mentions.
However, the identification of potential listeria contamination does not automatically signal an outbreak. On the contrary, it might be a positive sign in preventing illness, according to Diez-Gonzalez.
Individuals with safety concerns related to food can turn to the USDA for answers by dialing 888-674-6854.
The increase in food recalls for potential listeria contamination, such as Costco's salmon products, could be seen as a positive sign in preventing future foodborne illnesses. This increase in recalls might suggest improved testing in a complex food system.
Furthermore, increased microbiological testing and implementing surveillance processes to detect potential instances of listeria have led to an increased frequency of withdrawing contaminated products from the market, potentially saving lives.
