Author: Noel Carr

Great article in village magazine by tony lowes. Here is a scan of it. Buy the mag as well.

Here’s how the national papers reported the listeria recall of farmed salmon.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/smoked-salmon-recalled-amid-listeria-fears-1.1634511

Smoked salmon recalled amid Listeria fears

Smoked salmon products sold by a leading fish producer have been recalled after the presence of Listeria was detected in certain batches.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued the recall notice on batches of farmed oak smoked salmon with Clarke??????s Fish Exports label as ??????a precautionary measure??????.

Affected batches have use-by dates ranging from December 19th to January 8th next year.

Clarke??????s Organic Farmed Smoked Salmon is not affected by this recall while the farmed salmon with a use by date of 11/01/14 has also been given the all clear.

The affected smoked salmon was supplied to distributors, online customers and retail shops both in Ireland and across Europe.

A spokesman for the Co Mayo company said it was committed to the highest standards of hygiene and quality. He said the company was working with the authorities to ensure an efficent recall of the affected products.

Food business operators who have bought the affected smoked salmon have been asked to remove it from sale and clearly display a point of sale notice informing customers not to eat it.

Consumers have been told not to eat the implicated product and they can return it to the point of purchase for a full refund.

Listeriosis is serious and can even be life threatening. Specific segments of the population would be deemed at particular risk including pregnant women, the elderly and people with impaired immune functions. Ends

Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/safety-recall-for-smoked-salmon-29857516.html

Safety recall for smoked salmon

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Clarke’s Fish Exports Ltd has withdrawn batches of its smoked salmon
21 December 2013

A LEADING Irish fish producer has withdrawn batches of its smoked salmon after the potentially life-threatening listeria bug was detected in some samples.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) posted details of a recall by Clarke’s Fish Exports Ltd of its farmed Irish Oak Smoked Salmon in pack sizes ranging from 100g to 1kg.

It advised consumers not to eat the implicated smoked salmon, which is popular at Christmas, and food businesses to remove it from sale and display notices in shops advising customers not to eat it.

The affected batches have use by dates between 19/12/2013 and 08/01/2014, and the packs have approval number IE MO 0009 EC.

The FSAI notice said that “listeriosis is serious and can be life threatening in vulnerable individuals”.

“Specific segments of the population would be deemed at particular risk including pregnant women, the elderly and people with impaired immune functions,” it said.

Clarke’s managing director John Clarke said the company was working closely with health authorities and its customers to recall this product as quickly as possible.

Clarke’s said customers with queries or concerns could contact its helpline at 096 21022. Ends

URGENT MEASURES NEEDED TO AVOID ANOTHER FOOD SCANDAL

Farmed salmon products recalled amid Listeria fears

FISSTA – The Federation of Irish Salmon and Seatrout Anglers have welcomed the intervention by the FSAI – Food Safety Authority of Ireland to recall a range of smoked salmon products sold by a leading fish producer after the presence of Listeria was detected in certain batches. It is not known as yet if this information arose from random testing or from a series of complaints by consumers or hospital patients.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued the recall notice on specific stock units of farmed oak smoked salmon with Clarke??????s Fish Exports label as ??????a precautionary measure??????.

The origin or source of the original farmed salmon sides are unknown at this stage but it expected that the traceability system should reveal if the salmon were supplied from a farm in Norway or Ireland. The enquiry has begun to examine the list of clients the affected smoked farmed salmon were supplied to as exports. Recall of such a product will once again undermine the confidence in Irish food as it is believed the supply chain involves distributors, online customers and retail shops both in Ireland and across Europe. There have been numerous cases of Listeriosis being found in farmed salmon and it is treated as a serious health issue and can even be life threatening.

FISSTA Chairman Paul Lawton stated “We welcome the swift action of the FSAI in adopting the precautionary measure to recall immediately all suspected product, but Minister Simon Coveney TD must like the contaminated meat crisis, act now to restore the confidence in Irish food by introducing the same high standard of compliance for farmed salmon as there exists for beef, lamb and other imported raw material foods. Unsustainable practices have led to this crisis and the Minister can no longer sit on his hands and do nothing. His policy to develop the ten mega fish farm plan starting with a 15,000 ton – 75 cage complex in Galway Bay near Inis Oirr must be withdrawn now if consumer confidence is to be restored and another costly food scandal is to be averted. I also call on newly elected President of IFA Mr Eddie Downey, to assist the Minister in his food security decision to protect all Agri food exports now. IFA AQUACULTURE can no longer confuse and mislead their parent organisation into supporting unsustainable food production practices such as open net cages in the marine where pollute to produce ethos is the norm. Agriculture and real farmers have long complied with EU waste management standards on land but the same regulations sadly do not apply in the marine.”

FISSTA are campaigning to save their wild Atlantic salmon from being wiped out due to pollution and sealice emanating from salmon farms located in the migratory path of the wild salmon in which it is estimated that up to 39% are affected. Ends.

Sent from the desk of
Noel Carr Secretary FISSTA
Federation of Irish Salmon & Seatrout Anglers.
Address: Teelin Rd. Carrick. Co. Donegal Office Tel: 00353 749730300
Mobile. 00353872352001
Email. Dgl1@indigo.ie