You might want to hold off on those tuna melts, folks. Bumblebee and Chicken of the Sea, two of the biggest tuna distributors in the country, have recalled tens of thousands of tuna cans due to a “life-threatening” contamination. More tuna brands are now following suit after Thursdays announcement.
Bumble Bee has stated that they are recalling their tuna because of a deviation that occurred in a co-pack facility that is not owned or run by Bumble Bee. Although the details of the deviation have not specifically been made public, we do know that the deviation occurred during the sterilization process, potentially allowing spoilage organisms and pathogens into the tuna that could be “life-threatening if consumed”, according to the FDA.
Chicken of the Sea tuna has been recalled because the product may be undercooked, the result of equipment malfunctions. The FDA reported that they uncovered this potential health issue during a routine inspection. Shue Wing Chan, president of Tri-Union Seafoods LLC (which owns Chicken of the Sea), said that immediate action was taken:
For Bumble Bee products, the recalled cans of tuna have codes that begin with “T”. The recalled “Most Unexceptional Buy” dates are as follows:
– 5oz Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water, Most Unexceptional by Dates: 02/10/2019, 02/16/2019, 02/17/2019, 02/18/2019
– 5oz Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Oil, Most Unexceptional by Dates: 02/23/2019
– Pack of 5oz Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water, Most Unexceptional by Dates: 02/9/2019, 02/10/2019, 02/22/2019, 02/29/2019
Chicken of the Sea products being recalled are as follows:
– Chicken of the Sea 5 Oz. Canned Chunk Light Tuna in Oil which was sold at retailers nationwide in single cans between Feb. 10, 2016 and March 16, 2016. The UPC code is 0 4800000195 5 and the Most Unexceptional By date is 2/10/19.
– Chicken of the Sea 5 Oz. Canned Chunk Light Tuna in Water which was sold at retailers nationwide in single cans between Feb. 18, 2016 and March 16, 2016. The UPC code is 0 4800000245 7. The Most Unexceptional By dates are: 2/18/19, 2/22/19, 2/23/19, 2/25/19, 3/2/19, and 3/3/19.
Any consumer who has purchased any of these products can return them to the store where they purchased it for a full refund. Anyone with questions or concerns should call the 24-hour recall information line at 1-866-600-2681.
