A massive recall is affecting popular tuna cans as an urgent warning from health officials and manufacturers comes forward. Tri-Union Seafoods has issued a recall for several of its assorted canned tuna products. These cans, sold under various brand names like Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Costco, are being after someone discovered a manufacturing defect in the “easy open” pull tab. The lids potentially compromise the integrity of the tuna cans lid, and could allow deadly bacteria to develop inside of the product.
Manufacturing Defect
The tuna can recall was made “out of an abundance of caution” as Tri-Union Seafoods was notified by a supplier of the easy-open pull tab defect on certain products. If the defect could compromises the product seal, the tuna cans can leak or get contaminated with Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The bacteria produce a toxin that causes botulism, which, while rare, is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning that attacks the body’s nervous system. The FDA has published the company’s announcement regarding which tuna cans are affected, which can be identified by can codes and “Best If Used By” dates. Health officials emphasize that consumers should not use the identified tuna cans even if they seem to be normal – contaminated products may not be visibly compromised or even have a bad smell, but the bacteria may still be there all the same. No illnesses have been associated with the recalled cans thus far, but the severity of a potential botulism case has prompted swift and decisive action on Tri-Union Seafoods’ part.
Numerous Retailers and States
The recalled tuna cans were sold under a multitude of brand names including Genova, Van Camp’s, Trader Joe’s, and H-E-B. The distribution of these products spans dozens of states, as well as multiple major retail chains. The cans sent to Trader Joe’s were distributed across 19 states, and Genova’s were available in 7-ounce sizes at Costco locations in Florida and Georgia. There were also 5-ounce versions sold at Harris Teeter, Publix, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Walmart and other independent retailers across the country. Van Camp’s cans were sent to Walmart and independent retailers in Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey, while H-E-B products were sold exclusively in Texas. The vastness of the distribution network means that. thousands of consumers may have already bought the potentially dangerous tuna cans before any kind of recall was announced. Hopefully, the affected cans were removed from homes before being consumed. For a full list of what tuna cans were sent where, click here.
Consumer Response and Safety Measures
Health experts have urged people to check the product codes on their tuna cans against the list the FDA published to make sure they are not affected. Anyone who has purchased the recalled tuna should not to consume the product under any circumstances, and can explore several options for handling the items. One can return the product to the retailer where they were purchased from for a full refund, can safely discard the product themselves, or can contact Tri-Union Seafoods directly and request a retrieval kit as well as coupons for replacement products.
For anyone experiencing symptoms of botulism after consuming any of the products on the FDA list, seek immediate medical attention. The condition can progress rapidly and requires urgent treatment. Symptoms of botulism include difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurry vision, slurred speech, and difficulty breathing or moving one’s eyes. Foodborne botulism can also cause vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea. The recall does affect specific products only and does not impact any other Tri-Union Seafoods items, as the problem is strictly related to the easy-open pull tab defect. “Tri-Union Seafoods is committed to upholding the highest safety and quality standards,” the company stated in its recall notice.