Tuna Used in Widely-Sold Sushi Recalled Due to Salmonella Risk
AFC sushi is sold nationwide — at supermarkets such as Safeway and Walmart, and the campuses of some colleges, including Columbia and Princeton. (Photo: Getty Images)
If you’re a sushi lover, listen up for this recall.
Osamu Corporation, a seafood distributor out of California, is recalling the yellowfin tuna sent out from a specific processing plant in Indonesia. The fish, potentially infected with salmonella, was sold to AFC — a sushi company that ships its products across the country.
The recall comes after two people fell ill with salmonella in Minnesota, according to an FDA statement. State Health Department investigators found the bacteria contaminating AFC sushi at one retail location.
While both cases were in Minnesota, the tuna filtering through the Indonesian plant in question may have ended up on other grocery store shelves around the nation. The frozen yellowfin chunk meat was sent to AFC for sushi products being distributed to retailers from May 20 to May 26.
Salmonella is a bacteria that causes painful symptoms in more than one million people in the United States each year, according to the CDC. The hallmarks of an infection are diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, with onset roughly 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food.
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The illness usually lasts between four to seven days, and most of those affected recover without treatment. However, salmonella infection can be severe and dangerous in young children, the elderly, and those who have compromised immune systems. In the most serious cases, salmonella travels from the intestines to the bloodstream, which can cause long-term complications such as reactive arthritis or arterial infections. The infection can even be fatal — every year, 450 people die of salmonella poisoning.
The sushi maker is now destroying its remaining, potentially contaminated stock — but examine any recently bought sushi. If you’re wondering where AFC sushi is sold, you can find the complete list of locations here. They include supermarkets — such as Safeway and Walmart — and some college campuses nationwide. Please note that these retailers may sell AFC sushi but may not carry the type of tuna detailed in the recall, so your best bet is to check with the store at which you purchased the sushi.
If you’re not sure whether the sushi you bought may be involved in the recall, check with the location where you purchased it. The store should be able to tell you whether your product was taken off shelves.
Osamu does not believe any of the potentially infected sushi remains in stores.
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