Sarah Martinez was planning her daughter’s favorite dinner when she pulled the familiar bag of salmon from her freezer last Tuesday. The 2-pound package of Wellsley Farms Atlantic salmon had been sitting there for weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. As she started defrosting it for their weekly family meal, she had no idea that same evening, her phone would buzz with an urgent recall notice from BJ’s Wholesale Club.
That salmon recall listeria alert turned what should have been a routine dinner prep into a dash to the trash can. Sarah quickly checked the lot number on her package – 3896 – and her heart sank. She was holding exactly the product that health officials were warning people about.
“I felt sick to my stomach thinking about what could have happened if I’d served that to my family,” Sarah later told her neighbors. “You just never think it’ll be something sitting in your own freezer.”
What You Need to Know About This Salmon Recall
The FDA has issued an urgent salmon recall listeria warning that affects thousands of shoppers across seven states. Slade Gorton & Co., Inc., a Massachusetts-based seafood producer, voluntarily recalled their Wellsley Farms Farm-Raised Atlantic Salmon after discovering potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
This isn’t just another routine food safety notice. Listeria is a serious bacterial infection that can be life-threatening for vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and anyone with a compromised immune system.
“When we see listeria contamination in ready-to-eat or commonly consumed products like salmon, we act immediately,” explains food safety expert Dr. Michael Chen. “The bacteria can survive and even multiply in refrigerated conditions, making it particularly dangerous.”
The contaminated fish was sold exclusively through BJ’s Wholesale Club locations between January 31 and February 7, 2026. If you’ve shopped at BJ’s during this timeframe and purchased salmon, you need to check your freezer right now.
Critical Details Every Shopper Must Check
Before you panic, grab any salmon packages from your freezer and look for these specific identifiers. Not all salmon products are affected – only one particular lot has been recalled.
| Detail | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Wellsley Farms Farm-Raised Atlantic Salmon |
| Package Size | 2-pound bags |
| UPC Code | 888670025963 |
| Lot Number | 3896 (found on back of bag) |
| Sale Dates | January 31 – February 7, 2026 |
| States Affected | Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia |
Here’s what you should do immediately if you find the recalled product:
- Do not eat the salmon, even if it looks and smells normal
- Do not cook it – cooking doesn’t always eliminate listeria
- Throw it away in a sealed bag or return it to BJ’s for a full refund
- Clean any surfaces that touched the raw fish with bleach solution
- Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the product
“The lot number is your key identifier here,” notes food safety consultant Maria Rodriguez. “It’s printed on the back of the package, usually near the nutrition facts. If you can’t find it or the numbers don’t match, you’re likely safe, but when in doubt, contact the store directly.”
Who’s at Risk and What This Means for Your Family
While no illnesses have been reported yet from this specific salmon recall listeria incident, the potential consequences are serious enough that health officials aren’t taking any chances. Listeria infections affect different people in dramatically different ways.
For healthy adults, listeria poisoning typically causes unpleasant but manageable symptoms that appear within a few days to several weeks after eating contaminated food. You might experience fever, muscle aches, nausea, or diarrhea – symptoms that could easily be mistaken for the flu.
But for vulnerable populations, the stakes are much higher. Pregnant women face the terrifying possibility of miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe illness in their newborn. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems could develop life-threatening complications including meningitis.
“What makes listeria particularly concerning is how it can hide in your system,” explains Dr. Jennifer Walsh, an infectious disease specialist. “Some people won’t show symptoms for weeks, and by then, serious complications may have already developed.”
BJ’s Wholesale Club is directly contacting customers who purchased the recalled salmon using their membership purchase records. However, if you paid cash or shopped with someone else’s membership, you might not receive a direct notification.
The retailer has also removed all remaining inventory from their stores and is working closely with the FDA to investigate how the contamination occurred. This type of voluntary recall, while inconvenient, demonstrates that food safety monitoring systems are working as designed.
If you’ve already eaten the recalled salmon and feel fine, don’t panic. Monitor yourself for symptoms over the next few weeks, and contact your healthcare provider if you develop fever, muscle aches, or gastrointestinal issues. Be especially vigilant if you’re pregnant, elderly, or have health conditions that affect your immune system.
The financial impact for affected customers should be minimal. BJ’s is offering full refunds without requiring a receipt, as long as you can provide the empty package or demonstrate you purchased the product during the affected timeframe. Store managers have been instructed to process these refunds quickly and without hassle.
This salmon recall listeria situation serves as a reminder that food safety is an ongoing partnership between producers, retailers, regulators, and consumers. While recalls can be alarming, they represent the system working to protect public health rather than a failure of that system.
FAQs
How can I tell if I have the recalled salmon?
Check for Wellsley Farms Farm-Raised Atlantic Salmon in 2-pound bags with UPC 888670025963 and lot number 3896 on the back.
What should I do if I already ate some of the recalled salmon?
Monitor yourself for symptoms like fever, muscle aches, nausea, or diarrhea over the next few weeks and contact your doctor if symptoms develop.
Can I get a refund without my receipt?
Yes, BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering full refunds even without receipts if you can provide the package or demonstrate you purchased during the affected dates.
Is it safe to eat other salmon products?
Yes, only this specific lot of Wellsley Farms salmon is affected. Other salmon products and brands remain safe to consume.
How long do listeria symptoms take to appear?
Symptoms can develop anywhere from a few days to several weeks after eating contaminated food, which is why monitoring is important.
Should pregnant women be especially concerned?
Yes, pregnant women who consumed the recalled salmon should contact their healthcare provider immediately, as listeria can cause serious complications during pregnancy.
