January 24, 2011

US firm halts seafood product export on listeria causes

A company in Maine has agreed to stop shipping ready-to-eat lobster, shrimp and crab products after tests uncovered listeria, said the US Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA says Portland Shellfish Co. officials signed a consent decree, approved Thursday (Jan 20) by a federal judge, which arose from a 2010 inspection that found listeria contamination both at the plant and in a ready-to-eat seafood product. The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

The FDA says the company ships its products to retailers in Massachusetts, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, Washington, New Jersey and Louisiana. It's been the subject of four recalls in the past two years.

The consent decree calls for the FDA to approve various plans to ensure product safety. A message left with the company's general manager wasn't immediately returned Thursday (Jan 20) evening.