Three of the largest U.S. sellers of canned tuna have agreed to pay USD 3.3 million collectively to settle civil claims brought by three California counties over complaints the companies put less fish in their cans than represented on their labels.
StarKist, Chicken of the Sea and Bumble Bee brands of canned tuna contained more liquid and less tuna than stated on their cans, according to a lawsuit and settlement both filed Thursday by district attorneys for Marin, Riverside and San Diego counties.
The companies cooperated fully in an investigation stemming from the complaint and in reaching the settlement, the prosecutors said. The inquiry into complaints of tuna under-filling began in 2010, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Gina Darvas said.
“The California Department of Food and Agriculture has a division of measurement standards, and they look at short weights, among other things,” Darvas said. “Someone had an anecdotal feeling there was less tuna in cans, and they looked into it.”
