Lerøy reacts to several listeria cases in its Lerøy Midt slaughterhouse

Lerøy Seafood alerted, through a statement published on its website, that the slaughterhouse in Lerøy Midt has been brought to particular attention due to listeria control led by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Regarding this, CEO Henning Beltestad of Lerøy Seafood Group, said: "Lerøy and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority share a common interest in combating Listeria in the best possible way. Therefore, we seek open and constructive dialogue with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to find good solutions where both parties are confident that food safety is well maintained."

Beltestad explained that one of the most "important" measures is the extensive sampling program, covering surfaces in the factory, raw materials, and finished products. "Lerøy Midt conducts between 8,000 and 10,000 samples annually in the factory premises and on equipment," the CEO confirmed.

After the Listeria is detected in fish, the company assured actions are taken, and non-conformance reporting is carried out. Also, it has its procedure for information to the next level, ensuring food safety.

"Lerøy has a fully integrated value chain, and we have full traceability of all products. If a recall is needed, we can notify customers, and the product can be withdrawn from the market immediately."

"Food safety is Lerøy's top priority, and we have several measures in place to prevent Listeria in our raw materials and finished products. Our employees make a tremendous effort through systematic improvement work to maintain our high standards of food safety," he concluded.