Hong Kong – CFS urges public not to consume a batch of prepackaged French smoked herring fillets suspected to be contaminated with Listeria moncytogenes

• The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that the above-mentioned batch of product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and was being recalled.
• Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns.

• Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted the local importer for follow-up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product concerned.
• The importer concerned has stopped sales, has removed the affected product from shelves and has initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions.
• The CFS has alerted the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.

• Stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

• Not to consume the affected batch of the product if they have bought any.

Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer’s hotline at 2612 2066 during office hours.

Photos for reference only. Source of the photos: https://rappel.conso.gouv.fr/fiche-rappel/7968/Interne