About 560 pounds of smoked sprats were recalled over botulism risk

About 560 pounds of unbranded cold smoked sprats have been recalled after a federal inspection found the Queens, New York, company that made them lacked the controls needed to prevent botulism. Haifa Smoked Fish says every lot is included, and no illnesses have been reported. The fish was sold through retail stores in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Help yourself and the planet: The Cool Down makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet, with smart, simple changes to save more and waste less in your everyday life.

Get The Cool Down →

We may earn a commission if you sign up.

Anyone who bought loose smoked sprats from a deli counter or fish shop in those states has reason to check, because the product carries no brand name to look for.

What was recalled and where it went

The recall, announced on October 27 in a notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration, covers cold smoked sprats from D&M Smoked Fish Inc., which does business as Haifa Smoked Fish Inc. The fish was packed loose in bulk cardboard boxes labeled “Cold Smoked Sprats” and shipped refrigerated, so shoppers may have seen it only as a pile of fish in a display case.

The notice states that all lots are included in the recall, which removes any need to match a date code. It gives no sale dates, and the FDA lists the three states of distribution as New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

An inspection, not an illness, started it

The trigger was an FDA inspection at the company’s Jamaica, Queens, facility. According to the notice, inspectors found the firm making cold smoked sprats without the food safety controls required to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum and the formation of its toxin. The recall is therefore precautionary. The company states that “No illnesses have been reported to date.”

The wording matters. Regulators have not said the fish tested positive for the toxin; they have said the process left open the possibility of contamination, which the FDA describes as able to “cause life-threatening illness.” That is why the agency treats the entire output as suspect rather than sampling and sorting it.

Cold smoking holds fish at low temperatures, unlike hot smoking, which cooks it. That makes the controls around the fish, such as salt levels, temperature and handling, the main protection against the bacterium.

Why botulism gives no sign

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s botulism overview explains that the toxin “attacks the body’s nerves,” causing difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and even death. The bacterium’s spores are common in the environment and usually harmless, but they can produce toxin under low-oxygen, low-acid, low-sugar and low-salt conditions at certain temperatures and moisture levels. The CDC lists improperly preserved or fermented foods as the main concern and says store-bought foods can also be contaminated, though that is uncommon.

That is the reason for the FDA’s blunt instruction: do not eat the product, even if it does not look or smell spoiled. Toxin can be present without any change a shopper could detect, so appearance and smell are not a test.

Symptoms listed in the recall notice include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, and trouble speaking or swallowing. Possible symptoms also include difficulty breathing, weakness in other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation. The notice tells anyone with these symptoms to seek immediate medical attention, and the CDC’s symptoms page and its treatment guidance describe how clinicians respond; all forms of botulism are medical emergencies.

The CDC distinguishes five main kinds of botulism: foodborne, wound, infant, iatrogenic and adult intestinal toxemia. Only the foodborne kind is at issue in a recall like this one, but the agency says all types can be fatal. The common thread is the toxin, not the route, and a person who has eaten a suspect product has no way to confirm safety by inspecting leftovers.

What consumers are told to do

Because the sprats were sold loose, a receipt or a shop’s own records may be the only proof of purchase. The FDA’s instruction does not depend on one: product that cannot be matched to a store is better returned or discarded than tasted. Anyone unsure whether a refrigerator holds the recalled fish can ask the shop where it was bought, using the notice’s description of unbranded, cold smoked sprats in bulk cartons.

The company asks customers to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Questions can go to the firm at 718-523-8899, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern. Customers who already ate some of the fish and feel well are not described in the notice as needing treatment, but the symptom list is the guide for when to seek care.

The FDA keeps a running page of recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts, where any expansion of this action would be posted. As of the October 27 notice, the company’s count was 560 pounds, no illnesses and three states, and the unanswered question is whether any of the loose fish was resold or repackaged beyond the stores where it was first sold.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.

Help yourself and the planet: Get The Cool Down →

We may earn a commission if you sign up.