The Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland have issued updated advice to higher-risk consumers on ready-to-eat cold smoked and cured fish, following publication of a new risk assessment.
The agencies have advised that pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system should avoid eating cold smoked or cured fish after the risk assessment showed they were at higher risk of severe illness from listeriosis.
Products include smoked salmon, smoked trout and gravlax.
They have also warned that older people should also be aware of risks associated with eating these products.
The joint published risk assessment was commissioned in response to an ongoing outbreak of listeria monocytogenes linked to ready-to-eat cold smoked fish.
It found that while the risk of listeriosis in higher-risk individuals from cold smoked fish was low, the severity of illness was high which meant there was the potential for severe illness, hospitalisation and death among higher risk groups.
“If you are in the group of people more at risk of listeria infection, and you decide to consume these products, we strongly recommend that you first cook them until steaming hot all the way through,” said Professor Robin May, FSA chief scientific adviser. “This will ensure that any listeria present in the product is killed before it is eaten.”
The outbreak of listeria monocytogenes linked to smoked fish was first reported in 2020. There have since been 19 linked cases of listeriosis and four people have died.
“Most people who are affected by listeriosis will have no symptoms or experience mild diarrhoea, which subsides in a few days,” said Dr Gauri Godbole, consultant microbiologist at the UK Health Security Agency.
“Those who are more vulnerable can be at risk of severe illness such as meningitis and life-threatening sepsis. Listeriosis in pregnancy can cause very serious illness in mothers and their babies.”
No comments yet