A warning has been issued to people who eat smoked fish amid health fears.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have issued advice to vulnerable groups of consumers in relation to the risks of Listeria monocytogenes infection linked to ready to eat smoked fish.
Listeriosis is a form of food poisoning caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Most people who are affected get mild gastroenteritis which subsides in a few days. However, certain individuals are particularly at risk of severe illness such as meningitis and life-threatening sepsis.
READ MORE: Warning issued to anyone who rents a home in the UK
These include those over the age of 65, those with certain underlying conditions such as cancer, liver and kidney failure or who are taking medications which can weaken the immune system. Listeriosis in pregnancy can cause miscarriages and severe sepsis or meningitis in new-born babies.
The advice to those who are over 65, pregnant or have weakened immune systems is that they should ensure that ready to eat smoked fish is thoroughly cooked before they eat it. 'Ready to eat smoked fish’ refers to chilled smoked fish products that would not normally be cooked at home before being eaten.
The investigation has identified 14 linked cases of listeriosis since 2020, with eight of these since January 2022. Cases have been identified in England and Scotland. The majority of these individuals reported eating ready to eat smoked fish. One case has been a pregnant woman.
Dr Caroline Handford, Acting Head of Incidents at the Food Standards Agency said: "While the risks to the general public of becoming seriously ill due to Listeria are very low, we need people who are vulnerable – specifically those over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems – to be aware of the ongoing risks of consuming ready to eat smoked fish.
"If anyone from these groups is eating ready to eat smoked fish, we are reminding them of the advice to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked before they eat it including when served as part of a dish. People can also further reduce the risk by keeping chilled ready to eat smoked fish cold (5⁰C or below), always using products by their use-by date, following the storage instructions on the label, and cooking it until it is piping hot right through."
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
Massive hidden gem nestled in coastal suburb on the market
Ten money changes coming in September including cost of living payments
Georgian home brought into the 21st century by incredible cellar
Abandoned home that has laid empty for years finally up for grabs
MSE Martin Lewis shares cheapest way to pay your energy bill
