The United States Food and Drug Administration has announced a recall of canned tuna products that are sold at top retailers in the country, including Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Walmart, and Costco.
The recall was voluntarily issued by Tri-Union Seafoods after learning about a manufacturing defect that might impact some of its canned tuna products. The defect involves the “easy open” pull tab lid, which may be faulty and could lead to the can’s seal becoming compromised.
If this happens, the canned tuna may leak “or worse, be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.”
The recall notice from the FDA warns customers who have purchased the affected products not to use them, even if they don’t appear or “smell spoiled.”
The items affected by the recall include tuna sold under the H-E-B label in Texas, the 7-ounce cans of Genova tuna sold at Costco in Florida and Georgia, and the 5-ounce cans of Genova tuna sold 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.
Canned tuna sold under the Trader Joe’s label in 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 are also recalled.
The last affected brand is Van Camp’s canned tuna, sold at Walmart and several smaller retailers in Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
To check to see if your can of tuna was recalled, visit the FDA’s website here, where the list of specific can codes and expiration dates can be found.
The FDA says that no illnesses have been reported as a result of the recall.
For those who have purchased a recalled can, the FDA says to throw it away or return it to the store you bought it from for a full refund.
Tri-Union Seafoods has set up a number to call, 833-374-0171, for those who have questions about the recall.