FDA Announces the Recall of Two Smoked Fish Products

Haifa Smoked Fish voluntarily recalled its Cold Smoked Salmon and Cold Smoked Sea Bass products after New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors discovered possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Juliette Fairley

Published: 9/18/2025, 2:06:44 PM EDT

FDA Announces the Recall of Two Smoked Fish Products — Photo of one of the Haifa Smoked Fish products that are under FDA recall (Courtesy of FDA)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall of two types of smoked fish produced in New York state.

Concerns about Listeria monocytogenes contamination led Haifa Smoked Fish of Jamaica, New York, to voluntarily recall its Cold Smoked Salmon and Cold Smoked Sea Bass products, according to a Sept. 17 FDA advisory.

Haifa Smoked Fish company leaders did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.

The FDA said that the contamination was discovered after sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors, and subsequent analysis by Food Laboratory personnel revealed the Listeria monocytogenes presence.

The recall is applicable to Lot numbers 219 and 212, which are both 8 ounces in size.

The FDA describes Listeria monocytogenes on its website as an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

“Although healthy persons may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, L. Monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women,” the FDA said.

The FDA urged consumers who purchased the food items to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

: Photo of one of the smoked fish products under FDA recall (Courtesy of the FDA)

The potential for Listeria monocytogenes to live without oxygen is what concerns experts like food and water safety attorney Jory Lange.

“Listeria is a very hardy bacterium and can survive in the coldest places like freezers and refrigerators,” Lange told NTD. “Likely, the contamination occurred in the manufacturing facility due to a failure in proper food safety protocols.”

Lange added that hand washing is a crucial practice.

“It is also a good idea to disinfect and sanitize your kitchen and refrigerator and to thoroughly cook food items,” Lange said. “These practices are especially crucial for those who are at high risk of severe listeria infections, such as those who are elderly, very young, pregnant, and are immunocompromised.”

In July, concerns about Listeria monocytogenes led Wiet Peeters Farm Products of Charing Cross, Canada, to issue a voluntary recall of several types of mushrooms.

Some 25 cases containing 12 eight-ounce packages of Peeters Mushroom Farm Cremini Sliced mushrooms, ten cases containing 10-pound containers of Peeters Mushroom Farm Thick Slice Mushroom, and 175 cases containing 12 eight-ounce packages of Aunt Mid's Fresh Sliced Mushrooms were withdrawn, according to a July 18 FDA advisory.

All were assigned a Class 1 risk alert by the FDA.