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Tuna infected with Salmonella bareilly may have been used to make dishes sold in restaurants. (Photo: Stock File)
Salmonella confirmed in recalled tuna
UNITED STATES
Thursday, April 26, 2012, 01:20 (GMT + 9)
Tests conducted by the Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection laboratory have confirmed the presence of Salmonella Bareilly contamination in recalled yellowfin tuna and in a spicy tuna roll made with this tuna.
The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that the Salmonella taken from these tuna samples matched the DNA fingerprint of the outbreak Salmonella Bareilly strain isolated from individuals who became ill after consuming the tuna.
These lab tests confirmed earlier evidence that the yellowfin tuna was the source of the contamination, as discovered through case interviews and product tracking. Both of the contaminated samples were taken and tested as part of a collaborative effort in which Wisconsin state and local officials assisted federal investigators.
The outbreak of Salmonella bareilly infections has thus far involved 160 ill individuals in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
On 13 April, the Moon Marine USA Corporation (MMI) of Cupertino, California voluntarily recalled all of its frozen raw yellowfin tuna product -- 58,828 lbs worth -- labelled as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA. The product is scraped off the fish bones and looks like a ground meat.
Although the product was not available for sale to individual consumers, it may have been used to make sushi, sashimi, ceviche and similar dishes sold in restaurants and retailers. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to trace the recalled tuna from the recalling company through the distribution phase.
Since February, 15 Wisconsin residents have had suffered from laboratory-confirmed Salmonella bareilly infections that match the DNA fingerprints of the national outbreak strain. Three of these patients were hospitalized and all have recovered from their infection.
State and local health officials are still checking for additional cases and have helped the national investigation progress by interviewing patients about their food histories and other exposures, using this data to run a trace back of food consumed by ill individuals from the point of consumption through the distribution chain to its source.
Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most patients recover without treatment.
Related article:
- Yellowfin tuna product recalled due to salmonella infection
By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
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