A company has recalled certain smoked salmon products due to concerns that it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products were sold in several states.

The problem with the St. James Smokehouse-branded Scotch Reserve Scottish Smoked Salmon was discovered during “routine sampling” by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The company announced the recall on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.

More than 90 cases were reported, according to the recall notice.

Also Read | Nearly 3 decades later, is America ready to meet the polio challenge?

The Washington State Department of Agriculture found the bacteria in the finished product, according to the recall. The products were distributed by the company through distributors from February through June 2022. The products were then sold at stores in 10 states. 

The recall only impacts lot number 123172 with the UPC code 060022710356, the company said. No other products are affected, according to the recall. 

The states that are impacted by the recall are Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Washington state (including Safeway Washington state stores), Virginia and Wisconsin.

Listeria can result in “serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” the notice read. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The Listeria bacteria can grow at room temperature and refrigerator temperatures. It is more deadly than salmonella and E. coli.

Also Read | Listeria outbreak in US possibly came from Florida ice cream

The followings are the initial symptoms experienced by someone infected with the bacteria:

Fever

Muscle aches

Nausea

Diarrhea

When the listeria infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms develop to be flu-like, such as:

Headache

Confusion

Changes in alertness

Stiff neck

Convulsions

Loss of balance

For pregnant women, a listeria infection likely causes only mild signs and symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic. The woman infected with Listeria might face miscarriage or the newborn could experience life-threatening infection within the first few days after birth.

Also Read | Foods you should avoid consuming on a cruise

The baby’s symptoms may include:

Little interest in feeding

Irritability

Fever

Vomiting

In order to prevent listeria infection, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggests cooking meat thoroughly, washing raw fruit and vegetables and avoiding products containing unpasteurized milk.

Keeping a kitchen clean, fridge below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and consuming refrigerated leftovers within three or four days can also help.