Canned Tuna Sold at Trader Joe’s, Costco, Walmart and Other Stores Recalled Due to Botulism
Here’s what you need to know.
Daniel Tamas Mehes/Getty Images
You’ll probably want to head to the pantry to check those cans of tuna you keep on hand. Tri-Union Seafoods, a manufacturer and distributor of canned seafood, has issued a recall of canned tuna sold under many brand names, across many states and at stores including Trader Joe’s, Costco, Walmart and more. The reason for the recall: concerns that they could be contaminated with botulism.
In a notice posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) website, the company says the voluntary recall was issued “out of an abundance of caution” after it was notified by a supplier that the “easy open” pull tabs on some of its canned products had a defect that could “compromise the integrity of the product seal (especially over time), causing it to leak, or worse, be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.”
The recall pertains to tuna sold under the following labels, in the following stores and states:
H-E-B label: Texas
Trader Joe’s label: Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin
Genova 7 oz: Costco in Florida and Georgia
Genova 5 oz: Harris Teeter, Publix, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Walmart, and independent retailers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas
Van Camp’s label: Walmart and independent retailers in Pennsylvania, Florida and New Jersey
A complete list of specific Lot codes, Best If Used By dates and UPC numbers affected by the recall can be found here.
“This recall does not impact any other Tri-Union Seafoods products, as no other product packaging was impacted by this potential defect,” the company says.
If you do find that you have one of the affected cans of tuna, you are advised not to eat it, even if it looks or smells fine. Rather, you should throw it away, return it to your place of purchase for a full refund, or contact Tri-Union Seafoods for a replacement at support@thaiunionhelp.zendesk.com or 833-374-0171.
So far, no illnesses linked to the recall have been reported. But if you develop symptoms of foodborne botulism — which usually begin about 12 to 36 hours after consumption and include difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking; dry mouth; facial weakness; blurred or double vision or drooping eyelids; nausea, vomiting or abdominal cramps; and paralysis — or feel at all unwell, you are urged to seek medical attention.
Related Content:
