Outbreak appears to be over; yellowfin tuna imported from Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD with production dates in 2019 should still be discarded, if found.
FDA
January 24, 2020
Recommendations
Yellowfin tuna from Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD with a production date in 2019 should not be consumed because it may have the potential to cause scombrotoxin fish poisoning. Tuna from this supplier could have been sold thawed or frozen; and could have been sold as ground tuna meat, poke cubes, steaks, or loins; this product could still be within its shelf life. Anyone who received tuna from this supplier should not sell, serve, or consume it and should discard it. If you purchased tuna from one of the importers listed below you should confirm that it was not tuna supplied by Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD with a production date in 2019. The following companies imported tuna from Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD:
- Mical Seafood Inc. (Davie, FL)
- Northern Fisheries LTD (Little Compton, RI)
- Alfa International Seafood Inc. (Medley, FL)
- Aquabest Seafood LLC (Miami, FL)
- Gamma Seafood Corporation (Medley, FL)
- J. DeLuca Fish Company, Inc. (San Pedro, CA)
- Sym-Pac International Inc. (Corona, CA)
- Worldwide Seafood Products LLC (Perth Amboy, NJ)
Scombrotoxin fish poisoning occurs when fish is not properly chilled or preserved and begins to spoil, resulting in increased histamine levels. Histamine cannot be destroyed by freezing or cooking.
Importers, Suppliers, and Distributors:
Importers, suppliers, and distributors should not use and should discard or destroy any yellowfin tuna imported from Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD with a production date in 2019.
Restaurants and Retailers:
Restaurants and retailers should contact their suppliers to confirm the source of their yellowfin tuna because not all product was distributed in packaging that identifies Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD. Yellowfin tuna imported from this company with a production date in 2019 should not be used, served, repacked, or sold; and should be discarded.
Consumers:
While restaurants and retailers should have removed yellowfin tuna with a production date in 2019 from the Vietnamese supplier Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD, consumers should ask if the yellowfin tuna being served or sold was imported from the Vietnamese supplier Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD and has a production date in 2019.
Update January 24, 2020
This outbreak appears to be over. The last reported illness for this outbreak was on November 24, 2019. Yellowfin tuna from Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD with a production date in 2019 should still not be consumed. At this time, Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD has not shipped product in 2020 and remains on Import Alert, which provides information to FDA field staff that they may detain the firm’s yellowfin tuna without physical examination. Detained product will not enter the United States unless the importer proves that it meets U.S. food safety standards.
When the firm initially declined to recall, the FDA issued public warnings for importers, suppliers, distributors, and consumers. After the FDA public warning, the company recalled some of the product. FDA evaluated the effectiveness of the recalls and determined that the recalls may have not effectively removed all potentially harmful products from the market, so on December 26, 2019, the FDA released a list of importers of Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD tuna to help suppliers and distributors to identify product. FDA further worked with companies throughout the supply chain to facilitate recalls; and was able to ensure that all importers with tuna still available initiated recalls.
In addition, the FDA notified the Vietnamese government after learning that some tuna products had been returned to Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD in Vietnam. In response, the Vietnamese government issued an official letter to all relevant Vietnamese agencies instructing them to monitor and detain shipments of Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD tuna upon arrival at ports in Vietnam. This action was taken to prevent the use of this product in Vietnam and its re-export to other countries, including the U.S.
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