P97-25 FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Arthur Whitmore: (202) 205-4144
August 5, 1997
Consumer Holine: (800) 532-4440
FDA WARNS PUBLIC AGAINST ROYAL LINE SMOKED SALMON
The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to
purchase or eat Royal Line brand of smoked salmon because the
product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an
organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infection in
small children, frail or elderly people, and people with weakened
immune systems. Listeria infection also may cause miscarriages
and stillbirths in pregnant women.
The salmon is imported from Denmark and is labeled Royal
Line brand Smoked Salmon, Faroe Islands. Packaging does not
carry a product code. It is sold presliced, skinless and
boneless in 2.5 pound heat-sealed vacuum plastic bags.
The salmon was imported by Marine Marketing Intl. Inc., of
Boca Raton, Fla. The importer has initiated its own recall of
the product and has ceased importing it from the Danish
processor. The scope of distribution of the product is uncertain
however, because the sole distributor of the product, Marcos
Marketing Innovations Co. of Marietta, Ga., has refused to
cooperate in providing information or recalling the salmon.
Marcos Marketing has indicated preliminarily that the product
was sold to Jewish temples in the Los Angeles, Calif., area for
fundraising events. It is possible, however, that product was
distributed elsewhere in the United States.
The recall of the salmon was initiated as a result of
routine FDA sampling of imports. No illnesses have been reported
to date.
Symptoms of listeria infection include high fever, severe
headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
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