Urgent warning of potentially deadly infection risk caused by Christmas food favourite – and who should avoid it

The holiday season is all about overindulging, especially in terms of cuisine.

However, there is a health caution for anyone who wants to eat one of the favorite Christmas foods.

A health hazard that may be present in cold-smoked and cured fish has been brought to the attention of the Foods Standards Agency (FSA).

Foods like smoked salmon, a traditional Christmas Day breakfast option, may contain listeria, the food safety authority has warned urgently.

Listeria infection, often known as listeriosis, is an uncommon but potentially dangerous foodborne illness that can have major negative effects on a person’s health.

Smoked trout and gravlax are two more types of fish that have been cold-smoked and cured.

“We understand that smoked fish is a popular choice during the festive season, and for many, it can be enjoyed safely with the proper precautions,” stated Linden Jack, Head of the FSA’s Food, Feed, and Incidents Policy Unit.

“Those who are more vulnerable, however, are strongly advised to either steer clear of cold-smoked fish or heat it until it is well cooked. This will guarantee that any listeria in the product is eliminated prior to consumption.

“While the risk of listeria is generally low for most people, caregivers should avoid serving cold-smoked fish to family and friends who may be more vulnerable to infection if it hasn t been cooked first.”

Who is most at risk?

Eating ready-to-eat cold-smoked or cured fish is not recommended for pregnant women or persons with compromised immune systems, such as those with certain underlying diseases like cancer, diabetes, liver and renal disease, or those using immune-suppressive drugs.

A stillbirth or miscarriage may result from a pregnant woman’s listeria infection.

Hospitalization is nearly always required for people with compromised immune systems who contract listeria.

The FSA is recommending that older individuals understand the hazards of consuming these items and take precautions to lower their risk of infection because the chance of developing a serious illness from listeriosis also rises with age.

Additionally, anyone who prepares or purchases food for those who are at risk should heed the guidelines.

According to Dr. Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director of Food Safety and One Health for Gastrointestinal Infections at the UK Health Security Agency, “The population is at low risk overall, even though smoked fish has a higher risk of carrying listeria.”

Why does cold-smoked fish present a risk?

Because they haven’t been thoroughly cooked to eradicate any potential listeria, cold-smoked fish, like smoked salmon or trout, and cured fish, like gravlax, provide a greater risk of illness.

‘Cold-smoked’ fish is typically labeled as’smoked’ on the bottle.

Cold-smoked fish that is ready to eat is also frequently served in sushi or thin slices.

The FSA recommends: “Once cooked through, the smoked fish is safe to consume and can be served cold after being refrigerated or immediately.”

“It is crucial to cook the cold-smoked fish first if customers want to add it to recipes like scrambled eggs or cooked spaghetti.

“This is because simple warming it through while preparing a meal will not heat the fish to a high enough temperature to kill any listeria present.”

Additionally, it states that smoked fish products—like canned smoked salmon—that have undergone heat treatment during production can be safely ingested without additional cooking.

This is due to the fact that these canned goods are heated to a high temperature during manufacturing, thereby eliminating any potential listeria.

Other foods that can be contaminated with listeria

Ready-to-eat meals that don’t need to be heated or cooked are more likely to have listeria because they are meant to be consumed without additional preparation.

This may consist of:

• cold pre-cooked meats such as chicken
• deli meats such as salami and cold cuts
• cooked shellfish
• soft mould-ripened cheeses such as camembert, brie, and blue-veined cheeses
• p t
• unpasteurised milk, or products made from unpasteurised milk
• pre-prepared sandwiches and salads
• pre-cut fruits (for example, pre-packed melon slices)

How to reduce your risk of listeriosis

According to the FSA, it’s critical to take the actions listed below to lower your risk:

• keep foods cold until you are ready to eat them – make sure your fridge temperature is set at 5 C or below.
• refrigerate foods as soon as possible after purchase
• eat ready-to-eat foods within four hours of removing them from the fridge
• always eat, cook or freeze foods by their use-by date. Foods after their use-by date may look and smell fine, but they could be unsafe and make you ill. You cannot see, smell or taste bacteria that causes foodborne illness.
• always follow the storage instructions, including those for opened foods, provided on the label. If there are no instructions, use opened foods within two days.
• keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate to avoid cross-contamination
• follow the cooking instructions on packaging when applicable, and cook or reheat foods (including frozen vegetables) until they are steaming hot right through
• wash your hands regularly with soap and water before, during and after meal preparation