Costco salmon recall: FDA classifies listeria risk at highest level

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified a recall of salmon sold at Costco at the highest risk level due to potential listeria contamination.

Salmon sold at Costco — Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon — were recalled in October by Acme Smoked Fish Corporation for possibly containing Listeria monocytogenes.

The agency has now marked these items as a Class I recall, which means there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

The initial recall involved 111 cases of the salmon in twin 12-ounce packages with a UPC code 0 96619 25697 6, a lot number 8512801270, and an expiration date of Nov. 13, 2024.

Listeria is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The recall remains active. Consumers with adverse reactions can report them to the FDA.