Sushi Recall by FDA: Lawsuit for Yellowfin Tuna Contaminated with Salmonella Bareilly
Fred Pritzker 
Salmonella from recalled sushi? Contact our attorneys for a free consultation: 1-888-377-8900 (toll free).
(This post was updated after the tuna recall announced by the FDA was issued. The implicated “sushi tuna” was scraped yellowfin tuna, a low-quality product that looks like ground meat. I wonder if any of the dozens of people sickened in this outbreak knew what they were eating before this tuna sushi recall was issued.)
I and my Salmonella litigation team are investigating specific cases of Salmonella Bareilly. Some of the people who have contacted me did not eat spicy tuna sushi or any other product made with the recalled tuna. I and our other Salmonella lawyers are available for a free consultation for everyone sickened in this outbreak and the parents of children sickened in this outbreak.
Fourteen people have been hospitalized in an outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly that has sickened at least 116 people in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Contaminated sushi tuna, specifically scraped yellowfin tuna used in spicy tuna sushi and other products, caused this Salmonella outbreak.
Sushi Tuna Recall Information
Both epidemiological and trace back investigations determined that the source of the Salmonella Bareilly outbreak is sushi tuna processed by Moon Marine USA Corporation (also known as MMI) of Cupertino, California. The epidemiological investigation into the outbreak includes interviews with Salmonella Bareilly victims about what they ate in the days before they became ill. The trace back investigation involves analyzing food items to determine suppliers and getting environmental samples to determine where the Salmonella contamination happened.
The following is information from the FDA announcement of the sushi tuna recall:
- Moon Marine USA Corporation (also known as MMI) of Cupertino, Calif. is voluntarily recalling 58,828 lbs of a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, labeled as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat, which is specifically scraped off from the bones, and looks like a ground product. [Note: the victims of this outbreak did not know that they were eating this inferior product. There are several parties who should pay money damages to victims of this outbreak for the careless disregard for their safety.]
- The product was used to make sushi, sashimi, ceviche and similar dishes available in restaurants and grocery stores.
- The company name and Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA were printed on boxes of the product when it was initially sold to distributors. However, the boxes may have been broken into smaller lots for further sale and may not be available to the end retailer or consumer. Therefore, the tuna may not be readily identifiable by retail outlets or by consumers as being from the implicated lots.
- The Nakaochi Scrape AA and AAA from MMI was sold through distributors to restaurants and grocery stores that make sushi, and has been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly, which has caused 116 illnesses in 20 states and the District of Columbia to date. Of the reported illnesses, there have been 12 hospitalizations, and no deaths. States involved in the outbreak include: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (5), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Illinois (10), Louisiana (2), Maryland (11), Massachusetts (8), Mississippi (1), Missouri (2), New Jersey (7), New York (24), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (5), Rhode Island (5), South Carolina (3), Texas (3), Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (12).
- Many of the people who became ill reported eating raw tuna in sushi as “spicy tuna.”
- If you purchase “spicy tuna” or other sushi, sashimi, ceviche, or similar dishes that might contain Nakaochi Scrape from a restaurant or grocery store, check with the establishment to make sure that it does not contain raw recalled product from Moon Marine USA Corporation, also known as MMI. When in doubt, don’t eat it.
- Consumers who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated raw Nakaochi Scrape should consult their health care providers. [You can also contact me and my team for a free case review regarding a lawsuit against Moon Marine and others: 1-888-377-8900 (toll free).]
Attorney Fred Pritzker, lead lawyer for our Salmonella litigation team, represents Salmonella victims throughout the United States. He and his team of Salmonella lawyers are available for a free consultation regarding a lawsuit against the restaurant where you ate the sushi and the supplier of the specific ingredient in the sushi that was contaminated.
Salmonella In Raw Milk Samples Prompts Warning From Pennsylvania Health Officials
Production of raw milk and raw cheese products at the farm of Norman Z. and Edith B. Sauder in Kutztown, Pa. has been suspended after samples from the products tested positive for Salmonella.
Health officials are advising consumers and retailers not to eat or drink certain products from the Berks County farm including raw milk sold in a plastic bottle and raw cheese with a date code of March 25, 2012.
Sales of raw milk and raw cheese have been suspended at the facility until further testing is completed. A retail distribution list has not yet been made available.
So far, no illnesses have been reported to the state department of health. If ingested, Salmonella can cause an infection called salmonellosis, which can sometimes be serious. Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Muscle pains
- Blood in the stool
Green Valley Expands Alfafa Sprouts Recall
Green Valley Food Corp. of Dallas, Texas is expanding the number of recalled cases of alfalfa sprouts potentially contaminated with Salmonella from 650 t0 6,723.
The products under recall are:
- “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Alfalfa Sprouts 5 oz. container is 4 inches by 4 inches with the UPC number 714722228818. The label has blue lettering that states “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Alfalfa Sprouts.
- “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Spicy Sprouts 5 oz. container is 4 inches by 4 inches with the UPC number 71472222991. The label will have red lettering stating “Let’s Grow Healthy Together!” Spicy Sprouts.
- Alfalfa Sprouts 4oz. is a clamshell measuring 4 inches by 5 inches with the UPC number 815098001088. The label has green lettering stating “100% Natural Alfalfa Sprouts”.
- “100% Natural Onion Sprouts” 4oz. clamshell measures 4 inches by 5 inches with UPC number 815098002054.The label has yellow lettering stating “100% Natural Onion Sprouts”
Any of these items received or purchased from 12/07/2011 to 1/1/2012 are affected in this recall and/or if the items have a use by date ranging from 12/22/2011 to 1/1/2012.
Starwest Recalls Organic Celery Seed Potentially Tainted With Salmonella
Starwest Botanicals is recalling whole Starwest Organic Celery Seed because it has potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No illnesses have been reported with this recall.
The company, based in Rancho Cordova, Calif., became aware of the potential contamination after being notified by a customer. The product is packaged in Mylar 1lb and 2 oz pouches and sold by several different methods. It was either shipped directly to on-line or mail order consumers, or held for pickup by consumers at Starwest Botanicals. The product was sold between April 26, 2011 and December 14, 2011.
This recall includes the following:
- Starwest Botanicals Celery Seed (Whole) 2oz. with UPC 7-6796310619-3 and lot number F7073 found on the bottom of the pouch.
- Starwest Botanicals Celery Seed (Whole) 1 pound with UPS 7-6796307864-3 and lot number 40203 found on the bottom of the pouch.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism entering the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e. infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
Cal Fresco Recalls Peppers On Salmonella Fears
Cal Fresco LLC has issued a voluntary recall of fresh Jalapeño and Serrano chili peppers after some random samples selected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested positive for Salmonella. No ilnesses have been reported in conjunction with this recall.
The Jalapeño recall is limited to one lot (Lot #205610) containing approximately 18,500 pounds of peppers. The lot was distributed to retail stores in California, Oregon, Washington, Texas and Canada between December 3 and December 5, 2011.
The product was shipped in cases under two labels: Cal Fresco (10 and 25 pound cases) and Grower Alliance (40 pound case) but is typically sold at the retail level in bulk by weight without packaging. All retail suppliers that received this affected lot have been notified and were directed to immediately remove and destroy any remaining product in their inventories.
Cal Fresco’s traceability process identified the supplier, located in Mexico, and the company has ceased the distribution of all produce from this supplier while the FDA, the California Department of Public Health, and the company continue their investigation into the source of the contamination.
The Serrano peppers were recalled was the result of a random USDA sampling of bulk Serrano peppers on December 12 at a Spokane, WA distribution center which revealed the presence of Salmonella in some, but not all, of the sampling. The peppers were delivered to a retail distribution center Spokane, Washington on December 8, 2011.
Cal Fresco has a sampling, traceability and recall program in place to detect and prevent distribution of contaminated products. “However, because the USDA Sample and Isolated Pathogen Information Report failed to disclose individual lot numbers, and because the results of that report were not provided to Cal Fresco until December 19, 2011, (five days after the sampling occurred), Cal Fresco must rely on information provided by the FDA and CDPH to trace the contaminated peppers to their source,” the company stated
Based upon that information, Cal Fresco has identified the affected peppers as being part of Lot #205467, originating in Mexico. Cal Fresco has ceased the distribution of all produce from this supplier while the FDA, while the investigation continues.
The recalled product is typically sold at the retail level in bulk by weight and has no retail packaging associated with it. All retail suppliers that received this affected product are located in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver, Canada and Southern California, Alaska, Washington and Dallas, Texas. All retail suppliers who received this product have been notified and were directed to immediately remove and destroy any remaining product in their inventories.
Consumers who purchased the above described Serrano peppers between the dates of December 8 and December 21, 2011 should contact the store from where they purchased the product and inquire as to whether the affected product was sold by that store location.
Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
