Multistate Salmonella outbreak tied to tainted tuna

Tuna sushi
Tuna sushi

Marco Verch Professional Photographer / Flickr cc

Late yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a line of frozen tuna tainted with Salmonella Newport is associated with illnesses in 13 people in seven states, resulting in two hospitalizations.

Jensen Tuna of Houma, Louisiana, voluntarily recalled the frozen ground tuna product associated with the outbreak yesterday. The frozen tuna is individually packaged in clear, 1-pound bags and only sold wholesale in 20-pound boxes.

According to the FDA, the boxes were sold to wholesalers in Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, and Washington state, where they were further distributed to restaurants and retail locations from Nov 30, 2018, to Mar 15, 2019. Jensen Tuna imported the fish from JK Fish of Vietnam. 

Case-patients report eating sushi

In epidemiologic interviews, the CDC said 9 (75%) of 12 people reported eating sushi from a restaurant or grocery store in the days prior to illness. And all who reported eating sushi said the sushi item contained raw tuna or raw "spicy tuna."

"The FDA and regulatory officials in several states traced the source of the raw tuna used by restaurants where ill people ate sushi," the CDC said. "The traceback evidence indicated that the restaurants used frozen ground tuna supplied by Jensen Tuna."

Patients reported symptom onset between Jan 8 and Mar 20 of this year. Ill people range in age from 29 to 85 years, with a median age of 40, and 54% are female, the CDC said.

North Dakota and Washington state each recorded four cases, with Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and New York each recording one case.

"Consumers who order sushi made with raw tuna, including 'spicy tuna,' should ask the restaurant or grocery store if the tuna is from Jensen Tuna. If you are not sure if the tuna has been recalled, do not eat it," the CDC said.

Third Salmonella tuna outbreak in recent years

This is the third food-based Salmonella outbreak identified by the CDC this year; earlier outbreaks have been associated with pre-cut melon and ground turkey.

In 2018, the CDC confirmed 16 Salmonella food-related outbreaks, which it defines as two or more people getting sick after consuming the same food or drink. In 2017, the CDC tracked four outbreaks linked to imported papayas.

The most recent US Salmonella outbreak linked to raw tuna occurred in 2015 and involved 65 cases in 11 states. A much larger Salmonella outbreak sickened 425 people in 28 states in 2012 and involved raw scraped ground tuna products.

See also

Apr 16 CDC notice

Apr 16 FDA update

Apr 16 FDA recall notice

CDC Salmonella outbreak page

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