Although none of salmon found to contain listeria is believed to have originated in Scotland, experts fear the resulting furore will have a huge impact on pre-Christmas sales of Scottish salmon.
The study, by a German television programme, claimed five of 33 salmon brands it bought from local supermarkets were contaminated with listeria bacteria - germs which can cause blood poisoning or brain inflammation.
Scientists believe the contamination occurred during the packaging process of the fish, which generally takes place in Germany, where people traditionally eat fish on Christmas Eve and are avid consumers of smoked salmon over the holiday period.
Experts said that following this scare, shoppers there will boycott all brands of fish, something which could have major cost implications for Scottish salmon producers.
Germany is among the top ten export markets for the Scottish salmon industry, accounting for approximately 1,400 of the 55,000 tonnes of the fresh product shipped every year.
Source: The Scotsman