Frozen Fish Brand Recalls Product After Customer Reports Fish Poisoning

A California food company voluntarily recalled a fish product earlier this week after a consumer complained about potential poisoning. Relish Foods, Inc. of El Segundo recalled its Frozen Pacific Fusion brand tuna steaks following the complaint and later FDA testing, which found the product could include levels on histamines that could produce an allergic reaction. The affected products were sold in Northern California.

After Relish Foods received the consumer complaint, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sampled the 10 oz. tuna steaks and found it had "elevated levels" of histamines that could cause scombroid fish poisoning. "Symptoms, including a tingling or burning sensation in the mouth, facial swelling, rash, hives and itchy skin, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, can appear within minutes to several hours after eating the affected fish," reads the recall notice. Anyone who experiences severe symptoms is urged to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

Relish Foods and the FDA will continue their investigation to see what caused the issue. The affected products were sold at Save Mart Supermarkets and Lucky Stores from Oct. 6 to Dec. 27, the day the recall was announced. The frozen tuna steaks were sold individually with the following dates and production code: Production Date: July 2021 Best Before: July 2023 R11G2821D22A D2091A. This information is printed on the top right corner of the tuna steaks packaging. Products without these codes are not part of the recall.

Relish Foods does not think any of the affected product is still in stores. However, if you are concerned that you may have purchased products included in the recall, you should check with the store where the product was bought. Relish Foods has also not received any further complaints since the initial one. Customers can contact the company at 1-888-301-0881, Mondays through Fridays, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. (PDT).

Recalls of fish products are not uncommon. In late November, Oregon Lox Company recalled brands of Wild Cold Smoked Keta Salmon Lox after they learned some of the salmon could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The bacteria can cause "serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems," according to the FDA. You can find more details about that recall at the FDA website.