If you’ve eaten yellowfin tuna recently, make sure you read this

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If you are a sushi lover, then you need to know about a significant recall of yellowfin tuna. The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a hepatitis A virus exposure from yellowfin tuna served in the United States.

Where Was Recalled Fish Sold?

Back on May 18, the Hilo Fish Company recalled tuna from its source companies Sustainable Seafood Company and Santa Cruz Seafood, Inc. At that point, the fish tested positive for the hepatitis A virus.

The recall affects two different brands of tuna, including:

  • 8-ounce frozen yellowfin tuna steaks from Sustainable Seafood Company in individually vacuum-packed bags with the production date code of 627152, lot number 166623 and expiration date of 2018-10-01; and
  • 15-pound cases of frozen yellowfin tuna cubes from Santa Cruz Seafood, individually vacuum packed, with the date code 705342, lot number 173448 and expiration date of 2019-04-01.

Grocery stores and restaurants in California, Oklahoma and Texas received the affected tuna. In a rare move, the FDA identified the locations in their public notice about the investigation. Typically, the FDA keeps this information anonymous, but public health concerns compelled officials to release the information.

“To protect the health of consumers who may have eaten contaminated tuna and require post-exposure prophylaxis, the FDA has determined that it is necessary to make public the names of these businesses as part of the recall,” said the FDA investigation statement.

Consumers should know that as of now, the FDA has no reports of anyone getting sick or contracting the hepatitis A virus. And the FDA continues to take samples from tuna and investigate the health risk to the public.

yellowfin tuna photo
Flickr | joyosity

What Should You Do?

Anyone who consumed the recalled raw or undercooked fish within the past two weeks should talk to a doctor. Those who haven’t been vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus should get a post-exposure shot as soon as possible. Affected people who already received the vaccination do not require another shot, according to the FDA.

Unfortunately, the post-consumption shot won’t help anyone who may have eaten the recalled tuna beyond two weeks ago. Symptoms for the hepatitis A virus can show up anywhere from 15 to 50 days after infection.

What Is Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease. People can get Hepatitis A from eating contaminated food. Other ways of transmission include person to person (sexual partners or close contact with an infected person if you’re not vaccinated). For some people, the virus only causes minor illness. However, for others, it can lead to problems lasting several months.

Symptoms of infections include abdominal pain, fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of skin), dark urine, abnormal liver tests and pale stool.

Consult a doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms.

Food, Health
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About the Author
Marie Rossiter
Marie is a freelance writer and content creator with more than 20 years of experience in journalism. She lives in southwest Ohio with her husband and is almost a full-fledged empty nest mom of two daughters. She loves music, reading, word games, and Walt Disney World.

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