Costco's Kirkland Smoked Salmon Recalled For Potential Listeria Risk

There's another product recall currently going on, and this time it's at Costco. Kirkland Signature (Costco's house brand) smoked salmon has been recalled by the company that manufactures it, the Acme Smoked Fish Corporation, and the news came directly from Acme in conjunction with the warehouse club. Acme says that the smoked salmon with the black packaging has potentially been contaminated with listeria, and is being recalled out of an abundance of caution.

If you purchased the product, you would likely have gotten a digital notice via email about it, as Costco kept track of which Costco members bought it. Only one lot of the smoked salmon has been affected, with the number 8512801270, and purchase dates would have been between October 9 through October 13 of 2024. That information would be displayed on the upper right hand portion of the packaging, slightly below the item's bar code. 

If you find that you still have a package of it in your refrigerator, simply return it to a Costco location to receive a full refund on the product. Costco's recalls are particularly important due to the fact that its items are sold in bulk, which means multiple people can consume items from the same manufacturing lot, potentially exposing a larger group to anything harmful.

Recalls related to listeria are not uncommon, the most notable recent one being the frozen waffle recall from a major distributor, but if they're widespread enough, they can be quite alarming. Ubiquitous deli meat supplier Boar's Head recently issued a massive listeria recall on products made at a facility in Jarratt, Virginia, due to an outbreak. But the Boar's Head one is particularly notable due to its intensity. At this point, Vox reports that there's 59 known cases (with 10 related deaths) due to the deli meat, even causing the company to discontinue its liverwurst product altogether.

The main issue is that listeria affects particular populations more than others, which includes children, pregnant people, and those over 65 years old, so those vulnerable are at a much higher risk of health problems. Deli meat is prone to listeria contamination at multiple stages, including at a deli counter, because if one prep surface like a deli slicer blade comes in contact with the bacteria, it can easily spread to another product. 

Listeria symptoms are initially flu-like and can happen a few days after consuming a tainted product. Those with an infection can have chills, achy muscles, nausea, diarrhea, or fever, and in more serious cases, the infection can spread to the nervous system. Seek professional medical help if you suspect you have a listeria infection. In the case of Kirkland Signature's smoked salmon, it's more of a contained issue than the Boar's Head one, but it's still one you're going to want to take seriously, especially if you've got an at-risk individual in your household.