FDA Investigates Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Frozen Ground Tuna

April 16, 2019

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local partners, is investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Newport illnesses linked to frozen ground tuna from Jensen Tuna, sourced from JK Fish of Vietnam.

Through interviews with ill people, CDC and state partners collected and analyzed information that allowed them to identify frozen ground tuna as a possible source of illness. The FDA worked with state partners to trace the distribution of frozen ground tuna from individual case patients back to Jensen Tuna.

On April 15, 2019, following discussions with the FDA, CDC, and state partners, Jensen Tuna initiated a voluntarily recall of their frozen ground tuna imported from JK Fish of Vietnam. The recalled tuna was individually packaged in one-pound bags and sold in 20-pound boxes to distributors in Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, and Washington under lot numbers z266, z271, and z272.

Recommendation

Restaurants and retailers should check with their suppliers and not sell or serve the recalled ground tuna from Jensen Tuna. They should also be sure to wash and sanitize locations where the recalled ground tuna was stored or prepared.

It is unlikely that the recalled ground tuna was sold directly to consumers in grocery stores; rather, it was likely used in food dishes sold by restaurants or retailers. Consumers with concerns should ask their restaurants and retailers whether the tuna dish they are purchasing contains the recalled ground tuna.