More people may become ill if food facilities still have contaminated tuna in their freezers. (Photo: Flickr/Stock File)

Salmonella outbreak appears to be over: CDC

UNITED STATES
Monday, July 30, 2012, 00:20 (GMT + 9)

On 13 April California-based Moon Marine USA Corporation (MMI) voluntarily recalled 58,828 lbs of a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product labelled as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA  due to Salmonella contamination. Even so, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informed that it was just now that the outbreak of Salmonella Nchanga and Salmonella Bareilly appears to be over.

Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat scraped off the fish’s bones and looks like a ground product. It may be used to make sushi, particularly "spicy tuna" sushi.

The tests conducted by the Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection laboratory found that the product was contaminated with both of the outbreak strains of Salmonella.

A total of 425 people in 28 states and the District of Columbia became ill from consuming the product, Food Poisoning Bulletin reports. It adds that in total, 410 fell ill with Salmonella Bareilly and 15 fell ill with Salmonella Nchanga. Of those who became ill, 55 have been hospitalized.

On 10 May, Moon Fishery (India) Pvt Ltd, the manufacturer of the frozen yellowfin tuna Nakaochi Scrape that was recently recalled, expanded the voluntary recall to include its 22-lb boxes of “Tuna Strips” from India marked as “AA” or “AAA Grade” because the product could be contaminated with Salmonella.

"It's shocking to see so many illnesses cropping up months after the recall," said food safety attorney Bill Marler.

Products from India marked as AAA Grade could be contaminated with salmonella. (Photo: Flickr/Stockfile)

Given all the available data, the CDC are advising consumers not to eat the recalled frozen raw yellowfin tuna product.

Symptoms of salmonellosis, the illness caused by Salmonella bacteria, include vomiting, fever, nausea, severe stomach and abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop symptoms 12-72 hours after infection; the illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most patients recover without treatment.

Illness onset dates ranged from 1 January-7 July 2012. The age range of patients is from less than 1 year old to 86 years old, with a median age of 30 years; 60 per cent of the patients were female.

The CDC advised retailers and establishments not to serve the raw recalled frozen raw yellowfin tuna product from MMI and to check the source of their raw scraped yellowfin tuna product with their supplier if unknown.

While the government believes the outbreak is over, more people could become ill if food facilities still have the contaminated product in their freezers and are not aware of the recall or outbreak, Food Poisoning Bulletin reports.

Related articles:

- Salmonella confirmed in recalled tuna
- Yellowfin tuna product recalled due to salmonella infection

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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