An Abundance of Caution

Sanford, a New Zealand company, has just recalled 280 metric tonnes of green-lipped mussel meat. Most of the meat was exported to North America (United States and Canada), Australia, Japan, the UK and a handful of European countries.

The company initiated its international recall after finding what it described as a "low level" of Listeria monocytogenes on its production line. L. monocytogenes is a common environmental bacterium that can grow at refrigerator temperatures, but is killed by normal cooking. It has been associated with food-borne disease outbreaks linked to ready-to-eat foods such as delicatessen meats, cheeses, cole slaw and smoked fish.

There isn't a lot of detail in the article, but I think that this meat was meant for further processing - not to be eaten raw. I give Sanford "two thumbs up" for erring on the side of consumer safety by initiating a recall of this product.