Pathogens in smoked salmon

Sensitive consumer groups should avoid consumption

10-Dec-2024

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For official zoonosis monitoring, cold-smoked, sliced Salmon from retail outlets was tested for listeria(Listeria monocytogenes). Potentially harmful germs were found in the samples. Compared to zoonosis monitoring in 2011, critical germ concentrations were measured much less frequently and also at lower levels. Older and immunocompromised people in particular, as well as pregnant women, should nevertheless refrain from consuming smoked salmon.

Smoked salmon is a significant source of human infections with Listeria monocytogenes. A total of 354 samples of cold-smoked, sliced salmon were therefore tested for this pathogen as part of the 2023 zoonosis monitoring program. For pre-packaged products, the samples were tested at the end of the consumption date. The result: Listeria monocytogenes was detected in 8.2 percent of the samples. One sample (0.3 percent) had a bacterial content of 170 colony forming units per gram (CFU/g), which is above the limit of 100 CFU/g for ready-to-eat food.

"The significantly lower germ concentration and the lower number of critical samples is a positive development," comments Gerhard Zellner, Chairman of the State Working Group for Consumer Protection(LAV). However, as listeria was still detected in more than eight percent of the samples, the consumption of smoked salmon is not recommended for risk groups.

Consumers should only store smoked salmon for a short time if possible, as listeria can also multiply at refrigerator temperature. Under no circumstances should the product be consumed after the use-by date.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

https://www.yumda.com/en/news/1185087/pathogens-in-smoked-salmon.html