The FDA in the US signals an important recall of canned tuna due to a defect in manufacturing the dairy lid, which could lead to a risk of botulinum contamination
When it comes to criticality related to tuna, we immediately think of intensive fishing and environmental problems, but also of the question of mercury, of which we have often spoken. Now, however, news that is worrying local consumers arrives from the United States: some brands of canned tuna could be contaminated by botulinum And for this they were recalled by the market.
The call of the FDA
The news of this food alert is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who announced the voluntary call from the Tri-Union Seafoods of some tuna cans sold with the Genoa®, Van Camp’s®, Heb and Trader Joe’S® brands.
The reason for the call is a manufacturing defect of the dairy lid with easy opening tongue, which could compromise the integrity of the seal and cause losses or contamination from Clostridium botulinumthe bacterium responsible for botulism, a serious food poisoning.
The FDA warns not to consume the product even if it does not appear deteriorated or does not present suspicious smells, in fact contamination could take place even without visible signs.
Anyone who has symptoms attributable to botulism must immediately seek medical assistance. At the moment, no cases of poisoning related to the products collected have been reported, But the measure was adopted to ensure maximum food safety.
The risks
The Clostridium botulinum It is an anaerobic bacterium that thrives in low oxygenation environments, such as those created by food preserves with defective seals.
Although the presence of botulinum spores is only a suspicion in the case of this call, the decision to collect the tuna was made as a precaution, given that the botulinum toxin produced by the bacterium is extremely dangerous. Among the symptoms of botulism, breathing difficulties, muscle paralysis and, in severe cases, death are nodded.
The products involved
The tuna lots concerned have been distributed in several American states, including Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York and California, through supermarket chains such as Walmart, Costco, Publix and Safiway.
Consumers can check the codes of the cans interested directly on the FDA website and, in the event of correspondence, return the product to the store for a refund or contact directly Tri-Union Seafoods to obtain a replacement product.
