Dutch supermarkets issue urgent recall of herring over listeria fears
Supermarket chains Albert Heijn and PLUS are each recalling packages of ready-to-eat herring over concerns they may be contaminated with listeria. It is at least the second recall of fish in the Netherlands involving the bacteria in under four weeks. The Dutch supermarkets issued their recall announcements on Wednesday while France is also combating a health concern related to a recall of dozens of cheeses contaminated with listeria.
In the Netherlands, supermarket giant Albert Heijn said it was recalling two varieties of the AH Hollandse Nieuwe herring two-packs with onions. PLUS is also recalling a similar product.
"Customers are urgently requested not to consume the product," Albert Heijn said of its affected fish packages. The first product contains two entire pieces of herring with a tail and chopped onions. The second contains filleted herring without a tail, but also with the chopped onions.
The Albert Heijn recall includes the two products with expire dates of August 17, which were sold from August 8 through August 13. People who bought the fish can return it to any of the supermarket chain's stores for a refund.
Meanwhile, PLUS recalled their two-pack of Hollandse Nieuwe herring with a tail and with onions. The recall includes packages that expire on August 16 or 17. This can also be returned to one of their stores for a full refund.
Various supermarkets issued recalls in July for smoked salmon produced by Leroy Seafood Netherlands. There was a risk of listeria with the company's 200-gram packages of smoked Atlantic salmon, which was sold at Boon's Markt, DekaMarkt, Dirk, Hoogvliet, Poiesz, Plus, Spar, and Vomar.
Meanwhile, authorities in France have confirmed 21 cases of listeriosis, the result of a contamination from the listeria bacteria. Two people have died, including a woman who was already in poor health, according to that country's Ministry of Health. The infections may be linked to a recent large-scale recall of cheeses.
Research points to a link between the infections and "the consumption of pasteurized cheese produced by the Chavegrand company," according to the French Ministry of Agriculture and the ANSP, the country's national health office.
In France, 40 cheeses have been removed from store shelves due to the possible presence of listeria. These include Camembert, goat cheese, and gorgonzola, which were sold at supermarkets including Carrefour. A similar recall took place in June.
Healthy people do not usually fall ill from listeria, and those who do typically develop mild symptoms. Those in more vulnerable states can face a more severe fight when infected with listeria. Newborns, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems can, in rare cases, develop meningitis or sepsis. Infection also poses a health risk to pregnant women, according to Dutch health institute RIVM.
