Listeria Detected in Multiple Facility Areas (Image Credits: Foodsafetynews.com)
Las Vegas – The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to Maui Seafood LLC after inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes in environmental samples at the company’s ready-to-eat seafood facility.[1]
Listeria Detected in Multiple Facility Areas
Investigators collected environmental swabs during the April 28 to May 16, 2025, inspection at the plant located at 1741 S. Mojave Road.[1] Laboratory analysis of sample 1278716 revealed Listeria monocytogenes on several surfaces. Positive findings appeared on a salmon cutting board, a hose handle, strip curtains in the staging area that contacted ready-to-eat yellowfin tuna, and drains in the processing and staging areas.[1]
Whole genome sequencing linked the strain to isolates from a prior smoked salmon sample as well as clinical cases from 2017 and 2028. This connection underscored the pathogen’s potential to cause listeriosis, a serious illness with a high fatality rate. The FDA notified the firm of these results during a June 4, 2025, conference call. Listeria innocua, another indicator bacterium, showed up in additional swabs, signaling broader sanitation concerns.[1]
Severe Sanitation and Cross-Contamination Issues
Observers noted heavily worn and grooved cutting boards caked with filth, including numbers 1 through 5. An ice scoop handle wrapped in dirty tape rested nearby. Employees handled drains with bare or gloved hands, picked up floor debris, and then touched ready-to-eat tuna or salmon without washing or changing gloves.[1]…