Smoked Salmon and Salmonella Thompson

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:

• Arizona: 2 cases; an adult male from Maricopa County who became ill in May and did not report smoked salmon consumption, and a more recent illness in a child from Coconino County
• Illinois: 2 cases
• Maryland
• 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

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

The implicated product, Associated Press added, was sold in the USA through Costco, under both the Foppen and Kirkland brands.

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

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.