Four illnesses – believed to be scromboid poisoning – from frozen tuna have been reported in the United States, prompting the importer to recall the potentially responsible products.
Mical Seafood, Inc. of Cooper City, Florida, voluntarily recalled frozen, wild-caught yellowfin tuna poke cubes, tuna loins, tuna ground meat, and 6-ounce tuna steaks because of potentially elevated levels of histamine.
The tuna products were sold to wholesalers and one retailer in several states. The products were distributed to restaurants, retailers, and other customers via the wholesalers, Jennifer Gonzalez, import and compliance manager for Mical, told SeafoodSource.
“Four reported illnesses have been confirmed as of 1/10/2019. While Mical Seafood feels these were isolated incidents, it has initiated this voluntary recall to take every precautionary measure when it comes to customers’ health and safety,” the importer said in a press release posted on the United States Food and Drug Administration’s website.
Mical did not say where the illnesses were reported, and declined to name the tuna supplier.
The tuna products, which have production dates between 2 April, 2019, and 14 May, 2019, were distributed in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, California, Michigan, Rhode Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Saint Maarten, and the Grand Cayman.
Customers who received products from lot numbers 23910, 24046, 25324, 20799, 24037, 24279, 23020, 25694, and 23906 – with production dates of 04/02/2019, 4/09/2019, 04/20/2019, 04/24/2019, 04/27/2019, 05/10/2019, and 05/14/2019 – should not consume them, Mical said.
“Inventory should be quarantined until returned to the supplier or to Mical Seafood, Inc. for a full refund,” the company said.
Customers with questions or concerns can contact the company’s Recall Team: (Jennifer Gonzalez or Margarita Alzugaray) at 954-935-0133.
Photo courtesy of Mical Seafood
