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Fish may put consumers at risk of botulism and other food hazards

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in a complaint filed by the Department of Justice, is seeking to stop the processing and distribution of fish products at a California company because of a risk of botulism and other food hazards.

If granted, the permanent injunction against Fujino Enterprises Inc., doing business as Blue Ocean Smokehouse, of Half Moon Bay, Calif., would stop the company from processing and distributing fish and fish products. Blue Ocean’s president Erika Fujino also is named in the government’s complaint.

Blue Ocean processes fresh and smoked fish and fish products including salmon, cod, halibut, Wild King Salmon Candy (a honey-glazed, cold-smoked salmon), hot-smoked tuna, sturgeon and hot-smoked fish cream cheese spreads. Blue Ocean receives fish for processing from outside California, including salmon from Washington state and sturgeon from Oregon.

“This company has ignored warnings by FDA and the California Department of Public Health by continuing to sell seafood that puts consumers’ health at risk,” said Dara A. Corrigan, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “We are taking this action, in part, as a result of collaborative enforcement actions with our state partner and as part of our joint efforts to protect the public health.”

The complaint alleges that the company’s fish and fish products are adulterated, because they are processed under conditions that do not comply with the agency’s Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations. HACCP is a science-based system of preventive controls for food safety that is used by commercial seafood processors to identify potential food safety hazards and take steps to keep them from occurring.

The complaint also alleges that Blue Ocean’s fish are adulterated because the conditions under which they are prepared, packed, and held fail to conform to the Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements for food established to ensure that food is processed in a safe and sanitary manner. An FDA inspection in October 2011 found poor employee sanitation practices and showed that the company’s facility was not maintained in a manner that protected against food contamination.

Blue Ocean’s vacuum-packaged hot and cold smoked fish products may pose a risk for the development of Clostridium botulinum toxin that can cause botulism, a rare but serious illness that may result in paralysis, inhibited respiration, and death. This toxin cannot be removed by cooking or freezing.

Investigators also found Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) on food-contact and non-food-contact surfaces in the food processing areas of the company’s facility. Listeriosis, the illness caused by L. mono, can cause fatal infections in young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women may suffer miscarriages or stillbirths as a result of the infection.

In addition, Blue Ocean’s tuna products may pose a risk for the development of scombrotoxin (histamine), a toxin that also cannot be removed by cooking or freezing, and that can cause an illness known as scombrotoxin poisoning.

The company’s violations led to its voluntary destruction of almost 1,500 pounds of hot- and cold-smoked fish in October 2011, under the supervision of the FDA and the California Department of Public Health.

The complaint was filed on March 13, 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

No illnesses have been reported to date associated with Blue Ocean’s products

In December, The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Bos Fish warned the public not to consume certain Bos brand Herring Fillets because the product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Toxins produced by this bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

The affected product, Bos brand “Naturally Smoked Herring Fillets – Natural”, was sold refrigerated in various weight packages from Ramaker’s Imports, St. Catharines, ON without a Best Before Date applied to the package. The affected product was sold by Ramaker’s Imports from September 2011 to December 7, 2011.

Consumers who have purchased refrigerated Bos brand “Naturally Smoked Herring Fillets – Natural” from any other retailer without a Best Before Date on the package are also advised not to consume the product.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

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, Ramaker’s Imports, St. Catharines, ON is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace.

United Natural Foods previously announced a recall of its black bean tortillas due to potential contamination by clostridium botulinum bacteria.  In the previous recall, the affected products were stated as having a product date of 12-7-11. UNF has recently updated its recall, however, revising the date code of the affected products to 11-6-11. Below is specific information about the recalled product:

• Brand: Gentes Foods
• Product Information: Gordita Black Bean Tortillas
• UPC code: 618032102021
• Date code: 11-6-11 (printed on a white sticker found on the product packaging)
• Net weight: 10 ounces
• Packaging: 6 tortillas per vacuum-packed, clear sleeve container
• Label: white lettering on an orange background

It is important to note that some products under the same date code are not affected by the recall because these products were not exposed to the absence of refrigeration controls. Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas having the same date code sold in the following stores are included in the recall:

• Safeway #110 located at 1546 North Main,Salinas California
• Safeway #2840 located at2010 Freedom Boulevard,Watsonville California
• Safeway #3116 located at2255 Gellert Boulevard, SouthSan Francisco California
• Safeway #3125 located at3889 San Pablo Avenue,Emeryville California

United Natural Foods, Inc. is recalling selected types of Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

The following product has been recalled:

GENTES FOODS 10 OZ GORDITA BLACK BEAN TORTILLAS UPC 618032102021

Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas were distributed to the Safeway and Pak N Save stores in California listed below. The date code is on a white sticker applied to the packaging that reads “12 7 11.” This date code sold at other retail outlets has not been affected.

• SAFEWAY #1110 1546 N MAIN SALINAS CA
• SAFEWAY #2840 2010 FREEDOM BLVD WATSONVILLE CA
• PAK N SAVE #3116 2255 GELLERT BLVD S SAN FRANCISCO CA
• PAK N SAVE #3125 3889 SAN PABLO AVE EMERYVILLE CA

Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas are packed as 6 tortillas in a vacuum packaged clear sleeve. The package is approximately 10oz in size and an orange label is on a clear wrapper with white lettering.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

These items have been recalled due to a lack of temperature control during the distribution process. UNFI inadvertently subjected the recall items to temperature ranges above those directed by the manufacturer.

Five of eight inmates hospitalized after becoming ill from botulism-tainted, prison-brewed alcohol have been discharged back into the Utah State Prison’s general population.

Department of Corrections spokesman Steve Gehrke confirmed Friday that the five prisoners had been released from an unspecified area hospital on Thursday; three inmates remained hospitalized in critical condition.

In all, 12 inmates were reported Oct. 5 to have become ill after consuming the brew, which had been mixed and fermented inside a plastic bag hidden in an inmate’s cell, according to the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

Four inmates were treated at the prison medical facility, while the other eight were hospitalized with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, facial paralysis and blurry vision.