Tuna sold at Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Costco recalled over botulism risk

California-based Tri-Union Seafoods has issued a voluntary recall of canned tuna sold at Trader Joe’s, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Walmart, Costco and other major grocery stores in dozens of states.

The recall centers on concerns that a manufacturing defect in the cans may cause “a potentially fatal form of food poisoning,” the company said in a statement Friday.

Tri-Union Seafoods said the defect, located on the cans’ pull-tab lid, may compromise the integrity of the product seal, especially over time, causing it to leak or become contaminated with the clostridium botulinum bacterium, which causes botulism.

While Tri-Union Seafoods has said no illnesses linked to the recalled products have been reported, the company warned consumers not to use the product, “even if it does not look or smell spoiled.” The manufacturing company asked consumers to instead return the recalled tuna for a full refund, throw it away or contact Tri-Union directly for a retrieval kit and a coupon for a replacement product.

Tri-Union Seafoods issued the recall notice Friday on all tuna products sold under the Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s brand names. The affected products were distributed in more than two dozen states and Washington, D.C.:

• Trader Joe’s label: Stores in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin.

• H-E-B label: Stores in Texas.

• Genova 7-ounce cans: Costco stores in Florida and Georgia.

• Genova 5-ounce cans: Harris Teeter, Publix, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Walmart and independent retailers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas.

• Van Camp’s label: Walmart and independent retailers in Pennsylvania, Florida and New Jersey.

Tri-Union’s statement includes UPCs, can codes and best-by dates you can check to determine if your tuna is affected by the recall. Consumers can contact Tri-Union Seafoods at support@thaiunionhelp.zendesk.com or 833-374-0171 to request a replacement product.

Tri-Union’s parent company, Thailand-based seafood provider Thai Union, did not respond to a request for comment about how many units were subject to the recall.

Botulism is a rare but life-threatening illness that occurs after ingesting the bacterium’s toxin-producing spores, according to the Agriculture Department.

When ingested, the toxin attacks the body’s nervous system, causing muscle weakness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of foodborne botulism include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. Other symptoms include difficulty swallowing, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurry vision, slurred speech and difficulty moving the eyes.

Botulism is treated with an antitoxin, but if it is left untreated it may cause difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and death. Anyone showing signs of botulism should immediately seek medical help, the CDC says.

Botulism has been linked to unrefrigerated homemade salsa, baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, honey, garlic in oil, and traditionally prepared salted or fermented fish, according to the USDA. But the toxin is most commonly found in food that has been improperly canned.

• Emily Heil contributed to this report.