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Frozen Tuna Recalled Due to Hepatitis A Contamination

  • June 06, 2017

A recall on frozen yellowfin tuna contaminated with hepatitis A has generated an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although no illnesses have been reported. The tuna was sent to restaurants in Texas, Oklahoma, California and New York, but New York health officials said it hadn’t yet been distributed there, according to CNN Health. The tuna was individually vacuum packed in 15-pound cubes.

This underscores the importance of not only knowing where your seafood comes from, but of making the best choices when you eat it. The healthiest and least risky in terms of contamination are actually wild-caught Alaskan salmon, sockeye salmon and smaller fish like anchovies, sardines, mackerel and herring.

One reason shrimp isn’t on this list is because most shrimp sold in the U.S. are raised in shrimp farms in Southeast Asia. Mangroves — which are nature’s filtration system and defense against tsunamis — are cut down to house these farms. Toxic waste and chemicals from these farms also flow into waterways and destroy the ecosystem.

Sushi is another seafood niche rife with fraud. Tuna — whether you buy it as sushi, tuna steaks or canned tuna — has the added disadvantage of being high in mercury and other contaminants. If you eat tuna, you need to be aware of this, and take proactive measures — such as taking a handful of chlorella tablets with your meal — to counteract it.

To avoid being defrauded when buying seafood, your best bet is to buy your fish from a trusted local fish monger. When buying seafood from grocery stores or generic big box retailers, look for third party labels that verify quality. The best known one is the Marine Stewardship Council (their logo features the letters MSC and a blue check mark in the shape of a fish).