CFIA: Certain Packaged Smoked Fish Products May Contain Dangerous Bacteria

OTTAWA – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Euromax Foods are warning the public not to consume certain Euromax Foods brand vacuum packaged smoked fish products, described below, because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Toxins produced by this bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

The following Euromax Foods brand vacuum packaged smoked fish products, sold in various weights, listed below, are affected by this alert:

Product Best Before date
Smoked Mackerel 28DE 11
Smoked Mackerel Fillets 21DE 11, 28DE 11
Smoked Herring 28DE 11
Smoked Herring Fillets 28DE 11
Smoked Rainbow Trout 28DE 11
Smoked White Fish 21DE 11
Smoked Halibut 21DE 11

These products have been sold only at Euromax Foods located at 190 Boivard Drive West, Unit 59, Brampton, Ontario.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with the toxin may cause nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, headache, double vision, dry throat, respiratory failure and paralysis. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

The retailer, Euromax Foods, Brampton, Ontario, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:

Euromax Foods at (905) 460-1375;

CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Clostridium botulinum, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/botulisme.shtml

For information on all food recalls, visit theCFIA's Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.

Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency