Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea have voluntarily recalled a combined 1.6 million cans of tuna after separate processing mishaps that may have led to hampered sterilization and under-cooking, respectively, with no related illnesses reported, the companies announced.
Both products were produced in the Chicken of the Sea plant in Lyons, Georgia as part of a co-packing agreement between the two companies, according to a statement from Chicken of Sea. Such agreements are common among manufacturers, the company said.
“At Chicken of the Sea we hold ourselves to the highest standards, and the health and safety of consumers is of utmost importance. To that end, we moved swiftly as soon as an issue was discovered to have products removed from store shelves,” Chicken of the Sea said in a statement.
Bumble Bee Foods, LLC reported it is voluntarily recalling 31,579 cases of tuna produced in February 2016 and distributed nationally. The tuna is sold 48 to a case by Dollar Tree’s website, and the number per case is also 48 according to the California Department of Health website, which makes the total number of cans involved in the recall 1,515,792.
Bumblebee said the recall was necessary because of an error in the commercial sterilization process in a co-pack facility owned by “another company”. The error might have caused contamination by spoilage. If consumed, the contamination could cause life-threatening illness, the company reported.
The recall affects the following products and corresponding best-buy dates:
5oz Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water (Label UPC: 8660000020) 02/10/2019, 02/16/2019, 02/17/2019, 02/18/2019, 02/22/2019, 02/23/2019, 02/25/2019
5oz Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Oil (Label UPC: 8660000021) 02/23/2019
4 packs of 5oz Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water (Label UPC: 8660000736) 02/9/2019, 02/10/2019, 02/22/2019, 02/29/2019
The cans are marked with a code starting with “T” (for example: TOA2BSCAFB).
The recall announcement advises throwing away the recalled product. Anyone with questions about the recall can call Bumble Bee at (888) 820-1947 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST seven days a week.
CHICKEN OF THE SEA RECALL
Tri-Union Seafoods LLC, the parent company of Chicken of the Sea, is also recalling 107,280 cans of Chicken of the Sea brand 5 oz. canned chunk light tuna in oil and 5 oz. canned chunk light tuna in water.
The company reported the product may have been undercooked due to an equipment malfunction uncovered during a routine inspection. Tri-Union Seafoods LLC released the following details about the products:
Chicken of the Sea Brand 5 oz. canned chunk light tuna in oil sold at retailers nationwide in single cans between Feb. 10, 2016 and March 16, 2016.
The UPC code is 04800000195 5 and the Best By date is 2/10/19.
| LOT CODE | BEST BY DATE |
| 6OA3Z SCEES | 2/10/19 |
| 6OAAZ SCEES | 2/10/19 |
| 6OABZ SCEEB | 2/10/19 |
| 6OACZ SCEEB | 2/10/19 |
Chicken of the Sea Brand 5 oz. canned chunk light tuna in water sold at retailers nationwide in single cans between Feb. 18, 2016 and March 16, 2016.
The UPC code is 04800000245 7. The Best By dates are:
- 2/18/19
- 2/22/19
- 2/23/19
- 2/25/19
- 3/2/19
- 3/3/19
| LOT CODE | BEST BY DATE |
| 6OJEB SCAEB | 2/18/19 |
| 6OJCB SCAFB | 2/18/19 |
| 6ONEBSCAIB | 2/22/19 |
| 6OOFZ SCAFB | 2/23/19 |
| 6ORDB SCAFB | 2/25/19 |
| 6ORAB SCAFB | 2/25/19 |
| 6L2CB SCAFB | 3/2/19 |
| 6L32B SCAEB | 3/3/19 |
| 6L33B SCAEB | 3/3/19 |
| 6L35B SCAEB | 3/3/19 |
| 6L3CB SCAEB | 3/3/19 |
Consumers can return the product to the store where they purchased it for a full refund. Anyone with questions or concerns about this recall should call the 24-hour recall information line at 866-600-2681
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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