Far Rockaway company temporarily closed

Ossie’s products recalled due to listeria concerns

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Due to the discovery of listeria, a bacteria that could cause severe infection and possibly be fatal, the Far Rockaway-based SM Fish Corp. was ordered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to temporarily close until the manufacturing facility meets the standard requirement.

SM Fish Corp. issued a recall of products sold at seven retail outlets in New York and New Jersey between Aug. 1 and Sept. 9. “There are things that need to be repaired in the building; hopefully we’ll be able to get back on our feet,” SM Fish Corp. President Robert J. Schonfeld, said.

The s Sept. 13 letter from Dr. Robert M. Califf, commissioner of food and drugs, to Schonfeld stated: “FDA has determined that food manufactured, processed, packed, received, or held by your facility has a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences or death to humans, and that your facility created, caused, or was otherwise responsible for such reasonable probability.”


Two days later, the company released voluntarily recalling Ossie’s brand ready-to-eat salads because of the potential for the listeria monocytogenes strain to contaminate the food. Contamination could result in serious and sometimes fatal infections in kids, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, according to the company. Symptoms include: high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The FDA inspected the facility between Aug. 15 and Sept. 9 to follow up after listeria was found during the June 14 to July 6 inspection. Environmental samples were taken from the kitchen, fish processing room, herring room, cheese slicing room and ice maker area. After testing these samples, the FDA identified 12 swabs that tested positive for listeria in the facility, including the inner surface of a mixing bowl. After inspections in May, July and September, the FDA identified one strain that genetically matches that of the four reported listeriosis infections.

The company released the UPC codes of recalled products that were packed in plastic deli containers with along and “Best By” date codes of Aug. 21 through Oct. 18, which are located on the bottom of the container.