Editor’s note: Can someone please tell us why this product has not been recalled? There is still nothing on the Costco website.
In an article in today’s Huffington Post, Smoked salmon tainted with salmonella bacteria has sickened hundreds of people in the Netherlands and the United States, sparking a major recall, health authorities said Tuesday but not here.
Around 200 people – and likely more – in the Netherlands and more than 100 people in the United States have been sickened by a strain of the bacteria called Salmonella Thompson.
The Smoked Salmon’s only retail chain where it was sold was Costco. Yet, Costco has refused to recall the product and has not had any reports of illnesses.
Foppen, a Dutch company that sells fish worldwide, was named as the source by the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment also estimated the number of infections was higher.
Company spokesman Bart de Vries said that since the company set up a public information phone line two days ago, some 1,400 people had called and around 350 of the callers “reported symptoms consistent with a salmonella infection.”
Those infected by the salmonella bacteria can suffer symptoms including fever, vomiting and diarrhea.
De Vries said that in the United States the company sells only to wholesaler Costco and that Costco would deal with any U.S. recall. It was not immediately clear how much contaminated fish had been sold in America.
Roel Vincken of the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, which carried out tests confirming the salmonella outbreak, said he had no information on a U.S. recall.
Last week was Yom Kippur, the most sacred of all Jewish holidays and it is traditional to serve bagels, lox and cream cream and other dairy products? It makes you wonder how many Costco customers bought the Salmonella tainted Smoked Salmon for break fast?
Costco has not recalled the product in the U.S. relying instead of internal devices to track and stop the Smoked Salmon. Where did the 100 or so purchase the Smoked Salmon if Costco is the only retailer that sold it?
The smoked salmon was sold under the Foppen name and Costco’s store-brand name, Kirkland. Customers who purchased the items will be called by Costco. The calls will be followed up with a letter.
If you purchased Foppen or Kirkland brand Smoked Salmon at Costco, and are experiencing Salmonella like symptoms, please see health care provider immediately.
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© 2012 US Food Safety Corporation. No copyright claim is made for portions of this blog and linked items that are works of the United States Government, state governments or third parties
ian
October 8, 2012
Costco pulled both brands of smoked salmon supplied by Foppen: Foppen brand and Kirkland Signature (Costco’s private label). This was in spite of the fact that only the Foppen branded product was associated with illnesses in Europe.
While there have been indications in the Netherlands, for months, that illnesses related to Salmonella Thompson were up dramatically, and likely being caused by eating smoked salmon, there isn’t any published information as to to whether Foppen was identified as the culprit.
Further, the Europeans have identified the contamination happend at one of the company’s facilities in Greece. The Costco Kirkland Signature product is only produced at Foppen’s Dutch plant.
It seems that Costco membership is particularly advantageous when it comes to this type of recall. Because you have to have a membership to shop there, Costco has a record of everything you buy, and when. When they need to recall a particular product, they can pull purchase information and do a focussed contact campaign (very quickly) to those who bought the problem product. Very few retailers have this type of ability to contact folks…they rely on advertisements and word-of-mouth.
SpecialK
October 5, 2012
Trina White wrote: “It sounds like Costco found out about this contamination over a month ago. Does anyone know how long they have known?” Trina, Costco found out about the contamination Monday afternoon (definitely not a month ago) and pulled it immediately from their shelves. Costco wouldn’t risk their customers health over the sale of a product, no way – they know darn well how that would backfire if they didn’t take all the appropriate steps to recall the product. They have an entire department of their company devoted to food safety because of this.
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“Editor’s note: Can someone please tell us why this product has not been recalled? There is still nothing on the Costco website.”
To foodsafeguru, why are you still saying Costco hasn’t recalled the product? Just because there’s not a notice on their website? Please don’t tell me you’re going to ignore all the other recall steps they’ve taken just because there’s not a notice on their website. Costco didn’t update their website about the recall and passively wait for customers to find out on their own by seeing the site update… no, instead Costco actively reached out to customers to notify them about the recall. They’ve recalled it.
I went to my local Costco to return the smoked salmon we gave to my father-in-law (because it’s Costco, I didn’t need the receipt), and (1) Costco pulled the salmon from their shelves as soon as they found out about the contamination and (2) also blocked its sale so they wouldn’t scan at the checkout registers, (3) there was a notice near customer service about it at my Costco, (4) the employees were aware of the recall, (5) all customers who bought the smoked salmon and had a valid phone number on file with Costco got a phone call advising them not to eat the salmon and to return it for a full refund, and (6) all customers who bought the salmon will also get a letter in the mail advising them of the recall and telling them not to eat it and to return it, just in case Costco didn’t have a good phone number for all the customers. Costco has recalled this product.
Trina White
October 5, 2012
I purchased the Foppen salmon from Costco in Newington, VA over two weeks ago, ate most of it last week and only got a call from Costco 2 days ago. I have been very sick for the last 6 days with every flu symptom one could have. I feel like my body is shutting down. I never would have thought I would have something like salmonella poisoning. Now that I know it is a possibility I am going to the doctor tomorrow. It sounds like Costco found out about this contamination over a month ago. Does anyone know how long they have known? Were they waiting for people to get sick before they pulled it from the shelves? I just don’t understand how a store like Costco would put the community at risk with something like this….
Craig
October 3, 2012
Costco did call all members who purchase the items last Tuesday and stop sale as soon as they were notified on Monday
norm johnson
October 3, 2012
Well, Costco hasn’t called me, and I ate it on the 23 of sept and have been sick as a dog since then with salmonella symtoms.
LOUELLA S
October 2, 2012
I bought smoked salmon, and reg salmon I WANT TO RETURN ALL OF IT, pLEASE LET ME KNOW.
backups1
October 2, 2012
Reblogged this on Ture (Herbalife) and commented:
They should recall it right away if not they should be liable.
Traveler808
October 2, 2012
I received a call from Costco this morning advising me to return the smoked salmon that I purchased the other day.
rustyaa
October 2, 2012
Received a call this morning. Only one bagel’s worth and now out of cream cheese anyway. If you have a good phone number listed with Costco you will be called. My salmon was purchased last week on the East coast. It would have been nice to have had a trip to the Netherlands where this recall started, instead of now waiting to see if there is any problem here. I doubt there will be, but the double package, minus the bagel’s worth, goes back tomorrow.
SpecialK
October 2, 2012
You’re right, still not on Costco’s website yet. But they never refused to recall the product. Yesterday when they found out about it, Costco started pulling it from their shelves and blocked its sale, and anyone can return what they’ve purchased for a refund. And they’re contacting customers who bought it (husband got a recorded message call this morning from Costco about the salmon recall – we’d bought it for my 80-year-old father-in-law). Calling customers is a faster way to inform us, because I only check Costco’s website a few times a year.
foodsafeguru
October 2, 2012
Bad news. Still not on Costco website.
SpecialK
October 2, 2012
Good news: Costco is recalling the salmon. At nearly the same time when you published this blog post, Washington Post published an article with this:
“Costco got a call from Foppen regarding the recall late Monday afternoon, said Craig Wilson, vice president of food safety at Costco.
He said Costco immediately pulled the items from shelves and blocked its sale in stores, meaning the products won’t scan at registers.
The smoked salmon was sold under the Foppen name, as well as under Costco’s store-brand name, Kirkland.
Customers who purchased the items will be called by the company Tuesday to notify them of the recall, Wilson said. The calls will be followed up with a letter.”