Botulism Threat in Dried Vobla Fish
Botulism poisoning has been linked in the past to uneviscerated fish. That is why New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker warned consumers this week not to eat "Dried Vobla Fish'' sold by Ocean Side Pharmacy Inc. of Brooklyn, New York. A press release from his office said the product was found to be uneviscerated.
The Dried Vobla Fish, a Russian ethnic snack that goes well with beer, was sold from the Brooklyn pharmacy to consumers in the New York City Metro area and to two wholesale accounts, one in California and one in Massachusetts. The salted and dried product was offered for sale at ambient temperature as an unpackaged, uncoded, bulk item.
The press release said that uneviscerated processed fish is prohibited under New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets' regulations because Clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish.
"Because the fish is uneviscerated, the product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause Botulism, a serious and potentially fatal food-borne illness. Symptoms of Botulism include blurred or double vision, general weakness, poor reflexes, difficulty swallowing and respiratory paralysis.'' Treatment of Botulism poisoning sometimes requires a patient to be on a respirator.
The state said the problem was found in a routine inspection and that no illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the product.
