Bumble Bee Foods has issued a nationwide voluntary recall of over 30,000 cases of its 5 oz. canned Chunk Light Tuna. Bumble Bee, which is owned by U.K. private equity firm Lion Capital, made the announcement upon the discovery of improper sterilization at a third-party packing facility. Deviation from the proper sterilization process commonly results in inadequate sanitary conditions. Inferior sanitation in food production environments can create a perfect breeding atmosphere for spoilage organisms and/or pathogens. Ingestion of any contaminated products could possibly lead to a life-threatening illness.
“The recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution due to the possible under-processing of the affected products,” said Bumble Bee in its product recall notice. “Bumble Bee is working closely with the co-packer and the FDA to expedite the removal of products from commerce.” The affected tuna cases were produced in February and reference specific batch codes. Bumble Bee made it clear that company did not own or operate the facility where the “possible under-processing” occurred.
The San Diego-based company has not provided any specifics in concern to the identification of the spoilage organisms or pathogens to the public. In addition, Bumble Bee did not name any particular illnesses that are the result of ingesting contaminated products. However, the company did state that there not been any reports of injuries or illness associated with the product. The FDA advises consumers to throw away any potentially spoiled products and to contact Bumble Bee with any questions about the recall or possible reimbursement.
If you or someone you know has been injured by a recalled product, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.