Health Hazard Alert: Certain St. Thomas Brand Bar Clams Recalled

The manufacturer – St. Thomas Fish Market Inc. (Saint-Thomas-De-Kent, New Brunswick, Canada) – is warning the public not to consume the Bar Clams described below because they may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum bacteria.

Regarding St. Thomas Fish Market Inc.‘s voluntary recall of the above product, the details are as follows:

• Recall date: March 15, 2013

• Hazard classification: Class 1

  • Class 1 is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

• Toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

  • When diagnosed early, botulism can be treated with a botulism antitoxin.

    • The antitoxin can prevent a patient’s condition from becoming worse, and reduces the chances of complications.

• There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

• This product has been distributed for retail in:

  • New Brunswick

  • Prince Edward Island

  • Quebec

Please note that food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum may not look or smell spoiled.

• In food borne botulism, symptoms generally begin 12 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days.

Anyone who has consumed this product and experiences any of the symptoms described here should see a health care provider immediately and notify their local public health unit because death can occur in severe cases:

• nausea
• vomiting
• fatigue
• dizziness
• headache
• double vision
• dry throat
• respiratory failure
• paralysis

For info on the pathogen – Clostridium botulinum bacteria – and related food safety facts, please click here.

Contact Info

• St. Thomas Fish Market Inc., Marie Leger at 506-743-5965;

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) at:

  • 1-800-442-2342

  • TTY 1-800-465-7735

  • 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday

  • Or contact CFIA by filling out the online feedback form

Le texte français suit le texte anglais:

Did you know?

• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issues public advisories and email notifications for food recalls for all high-risk food recalls (mainly Class I) when the product is available for sale or could be in consumers’ homes.

• All other recalls (Class II and III) and food products that are sold exclusively to restaurants, are posted on the CFIA’s Food Recall Report.

• Email notifications are also available for all allergen recalls.

• Food and consumer product recalls are also available at www.healthycanadians.gc.ca .

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

PUBLIC ADVISORY

Health Hazard Alert – Certain St. Thomas brand Bar Clams may contain dangerous bacteria

Recall date: March 15, 2013
Reason for recall: Microbiological – Clostridium botulinum
Hazard classification: Class 1
Recalling Firm: St-Thomas Fish Market Inc.
Distribution: New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Extent of the distribution: Retail