The CFIA has recently announced a recall against all batches of “smoked trout fillet” processed by the Milford Bay Trout Farm Inc. The recall was made with their full cooperation.

The smoked trout is believed to be contaminated by the bacteria Clostridium botulin. Food that has been contaminated by these bacteria does not show signs of spoilage, therefore caution should be taken. This bacterium is most commonly found in seafood, or other food products that have not been properly eviscerated. It is commonly found in the gut of fish, thus an un-eviscerated fish product will most probably have numerous quantities of the bacteria.

Clostridium botulin is the bacteria responsible for botulism, an infection that is considered to be life threatening. Common symptoms of this infection include nausea, fatigue, headache, dry throat, paralysis, vomiting, dizziness, double vision and respiratory failure. In persons with a weakened immunity to diseases, botulism can cause more serious medical emergencies, which can lead to death. To date, no medical emergencies are reported that are linked to the affected fish product.

Milton Bay’s “Smoked Trout Fillet” has been distributed in different retail stores in Ontario. The product is vacuum packed and is sold in different weights. The packages do not indicate any UPC code. All lot codes and “best before” dates are affected by the recall. The company is already in the process of retrieving the recalled products from the market. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall. Consumers who have concerns about the recall can email Milford Bay at mbtf@rogers.com. They can also call CFIA at the hotline 1-800-442-2342.