Haifa Smoked Fish Cold Smoked Sprats Recalled for Potential Clostridium botulinum Contamination

What was recalled

On October 27, 2026, D&M Smoked Fish Inc., doing business as Haifa Smoked Fish, Inc., recalled all lots of its cold smoked sprats. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists the reason as potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum. The sprats were sold in bulk cardboard boxes and shipped refrigerated, and they may be frozen for up to one year. The FDA notes recalled product may have a long shelf life when frozen.

How to tell if your sprats are affected

There is no brand name on this product, and no lot code or UPC to check. The sprats may have been sold at restaurants and grocery store seafood counters, with or without a label. If you cannot tell whether your cold smoked sprats came from Haifa Smoked Fish, Inc., the FDA says do not eat them. Throw them away, or contact the place where you bought them or your supplier and ask.

Where the sprats were sold

The recalled sprats went to retailers, restaurants, wholesalers, and food service customers in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The FDA notes the product may have been distributed further, reaching additional states, so the three named states are not the full picture.

What to do

Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled cold smoked sprats sold by Haifa Smoked Fish, Inc. If you bought or received them, clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers they touched, and follow the FDA’s safe food handling and cleaning advice to cut the risk of cross-contamination. The FDA’s October 23, 2026 update explains how this recall came about: an inspection at D&M Smoked Fish Inc. found the firm was producing cold-smoked sprats without the required food safety controls to prevent Clostridium botulinum growth and toxin formation. Botulism symptoms listed by the FDA include nausea, vomiting, fatigue or weakness, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking or a change in voice, difficulty swallowing, descending paralysis starting with the face, respiratory distress, dry mouth, and constipation, and in severe cases people will die without intensive care. Anyone with these symptoms should seek medical care right away. Botulism is a medical emergency.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “FDA Advises Not to Eat, Sell, or Serve Cold Smoked Sprats Sold by Haifa Smoked Fish, Inc.,” October 27, 2026. Read the original FDA advisory.