The Biggest Seafood Recalls In US History

Yahoo

12-04-2025

Most Americans eat seafood on a regular basis. Some love shrimp, others prefer canned tuna, and plenty can't get enough of dishes like fried catfish or Louisiana oysters. Usually, eating seafood in a restaurant or at home is safe, but sometimes, it comes with serious risks. Over the years, there have been several major seafood recalls in the U.S. They have occurred for a wide range of reasons, including undeclared allergens, a lack of federal inspection, and, in many instances, the presence of dangerous foodborne bacteria.
If you're concerned about consuming seafood, it's important to keep an eye on recalls. When there is a problem with a product, be it norovirus contamination, Listeria, or a packaging defect, brands and suppliers are quick to pull it from the market -- hopefully before anyone falls ill from consuming it. We've done some digging to find some of the biggest seafood recalls in U.S. history, affecting everything from canned tuna to catfish to frozen shrimp.
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In February 2025, Tri-Union Seafoods recalled canned tuna from grocery stores across the U.S. due to fears that they could be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. If consumed, the bacteria could lead to foodborne botulism, which is a serious disease that attacks the nervous system and can be fatal. However, it's important to note that Clostridium botulinum was not found in tuna samples, but rather Tri-Union Seafoods was concerned that a defect on some of the cans, which affected the pull lid, could allow for future contamination.
At the time of the recall, the canned tuna had been sent to multiple retailers across the U.S., including Trader Joe's and H-E-B, where it was sold under each of the grocery chain's private labels. In total, the cans had been sent to stores in 27 states. Anyone who had already purchased one of the recalled cans was urged not to consume them, and instead either dispose of them immediately or return them to the store for a refund.
Louisiana, which is home to the biggest oyster reefs in the world, is a major supplier of oysters to the whole of the U.S. In fact, research suggests that every single day, around 1.3 million Louisiana oysters are eaten in the country. This is why it was a major public health risk when norovirus was recently traced back to one of the state's key oyster harvesting areas, Oyster Harvesting Area 3 (located to the east of Lake Borgne). As a result, in February 2025, the Louisiana Department of Health issued a recall of all Area 3 oysters.
But the recall was too late to prevent sickness. By February 24, 2025, reports suggested that more than 260 people in five states (Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina) had developed norovirus -- a stomach bug that leads to symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting -- after eating the contaminated oysters. Oysters can pick up norovirus from their marine habitat. Often, it happens because untreated human waste has made its way into the ocean via leaks or faults in sewage systems.
In May 2024, Irvington Seafood recalled packages of crab meat products from two states, Alabama and Mississippi, amid fears that they could be contaminated with Listeria, another strand of harmful foodborne bacteria. At the time of the recall, the crab meat — which tested positive for Listeria bacteria in product testing — had already been sent to distributors and could have been sent on to restaurants and stores. Fortunately, however, there were no reported Listeria infections associated with the crab meat, which included claw meat, fingers, jumbo, and lump.
The lack of infections from the Irvington Seafood products was lucky. If consumed, Listeria bacteria can lead to listeriosis, a life-threatening infection that is particularly dangerous for vulnerable individuals, including the elderly and pregnant people. Right now, Listeria is the third leading cause of foodborne illness deaths in the U.S., responsible for around 260 fatalities every year.
Irvington Seafood wasn't the only company to issue a recall due to Listeria concerns in 2024. In October of the same year, the Acme Smoked Fish Corporation, which produces salmon for the Kirkland brand, recalled 111 cases of smoked salmon from Costco distribution centers and Costco Warehouse stores in Florida for the same reason (there are more than 30 Costco Warehouse stores in the state). In this case, Listeria was found during laboratory tests of the smoked fish products.
Again, anyone who had purchased the salmon was urged to dispose of it or return it to the store they bought it from for a full refund. Luckily, as with the Irvington Seafood recall, there were no Listeria infections associated with the recall.
Listeriosis can lead to a number of unpleasant symptoms, including fever, aches, vomiting, chills, and diarrhea. In pregnant women, it can also increase the risk of stillbirth and miscarriages. Research suggests that pregnant women are roughly 10 times more likely to develop listeriosis than other healthy adults.
In 2023, Florida-based seafood company Tampa Bay Fisheries recalled several lots of pollock and cod fillets, not because of foodborne bacteria, but because of undeclared soy. If unknowingly consumed by someone with a soy allergy, the fish fillets could lead to anaphylactic shock — a life-threatening allergic reaction. In less serious cases, it could still lead to a whole range of unpleasant symptoms like hives, stomach pain, wheezing, and dizziness. Soy allergies are particularly common in children, particularly in those under the age of 10, but in rare cases, they can affect adults, too.
At the time of the recall, the fish fillets had already been sent to Whole Foods stores across the U.S. to be sold under the grocery store chain's 365 brand (the chain has more than 500 stores in total across the country). Luckily, there were no allergic reactions associated with the recall, which was linked to a packaging mixup.
In 2023, Kawasho Foods USA recalled cans of shrimp from retailers across the U.S. due to concerns that the seafood was under-processed. The New York-based company, which recalled all lots with the Universal Product Code 071140003909, urged anyone who had already purchased the canned shrimp to either throw it away or return it for a refund. Fortunately, there were no reports of any illnesses associated with the Kawasho Foods recall. This was fortunate, because at the time, the shrimp had already been sent to stores in 31 states.
Consuming under-processed shrimp can be dangerous. It could lead to foodborne illness, either due to product spoilage or pathogenic contamination. Clostridium botulinum is a risk, as well as a type of bacteria called Vibrio. This bacteria lives in the water with shrimp, and when consumed, it can lead to an illness called vibriosis, which can be fatal. Of the around 80,000 people who get sick with vibriosis in the U.S. every year, around 52,000 consumed contaminated food.
Also in 2023, Lidl US announced it was recalling all units of its ready-to-eat cocktail shrimp from all of its stores. The budget German grocery store chain has more than 150 locations in the U.S. Again, the recall was issued due to fears around Listeria, after routine testing picked up traces of the bacteria in the cocktail shrimp. Luckily, at the time of the recall, there were no reports of listeriosis as a result of customers consuming the product.
Lidl has been caught up in a few Listeria-related recalls over the years. In 2021, for example, it pulled Tyson Foods chicken products from the shelves when the meat giant recalled nearly 9 million pounds of chicken due to Listeria fears. In the same year, it was forced to pull 15 different salad products from the stores when they were implicated in a Dole Fresh Vegetables Listeria recall.
Catfish is a popular seafood choice in the U.S., particularly in the Southern states. While there is a domestic industry for the fish, plenty is imported from overseas, too. However, the process doesn't always go smoothly. In 2021, Illinois company Otten's Seafood had to issue a recall for more than 46,800 pounds of catfish because they were distributed to stores in Illinois and Indiana without being inspected by federal authorities first. It turned out that neither the catfish products nor the facility they were processed in had been inspected by the USDA.
It is a legal requirement for all catfish products to be inspected by U.S. federal authorities. This is to reduce the risk of people getting ill from different strains foodborne bacteria, like Listeria and Salmonella. As with Listeria, Salmonella can lead to a serious illness, known as salmonellosis.
Speaking of Salmonella, also in 2021, an outbreak of the dangerous bacteria was traced back to seafood products from the Colorado-based company Northeast Seafood. This led to a state-wide recall of seafood products, including haddock, halibut, tilapia, cod, salmon, and red snapper, from restaurants and grocery stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, and Sprouts.
Unfortunately, in this particular case, the products had already made people sick before they were pulled off the shelves. Around 115 people across 15 states developed salmonellosis as a result of consuming the infected seafood (which was bought in Colorado), and around 20 of those people were admitted to hospital.
For many, salmonellosis will be mild, with symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain, but for vulnerable individuals — including the elderly, the very young, and those with a weakened immune system — it can be life-threatening. Every year, the foodborne illness leads to around 420 deaths and 26,500 hospitalizations.
In 2020, Kader Exports was also caught out by Salmonella. The FDA tested the company's frozen cooked shrimp and found traces of the bacteria in the product, which led to a nationwide recall. Luckily, even though Kader Exports believed most of the contaminated products had already been consumed, there were no reports of illness associated with the frozen cooked shrimp.
Not everyone who develops salmonellosis reports their infection. For most, the symptoms are mild and clear up on their own without any need for medical treatment. Research suggests that only one in 30 Salmonella infections are actually diagnosed. As well as shrimp, the bacteria can linger in eggs, beef, pork, and even fruits and vegetables, but it is usually found in chicken. In fact, research also suggests that one in every five packages of chicken in U.S. grocery stores contains Salmonella.
Salmonella, Clostridium botulinum, and Listeria aren't the only foodborne illnesses that seafood consumers need to be aware of. Sometimes, eating fish can also lead to a syndrome called scombroid poisoning. The poisoning, which has symptoms like vomiting, dizziness, rashes, and sweating, is similar to an allergic reaction, and is related to high amounts of histamine in the seafood. For most, scombroid will pass on its own, but others may require treatment with antihistamines.
In 2019, Mical Seafood recalled several different yellowfin tuna products, including ground meat and steaks, after high levels of histamines led to scombroid poisoning in at least four individuals. The histamines likely formed in the tuna as a result of improper refrigeration. At the time of the recall, the products had already been distributed to more than 10 states, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten, and Grand Cayman.
Otten Seafood isn't alone in its catfish recall. In 2019, Texas-based seafood supplier Fulton Seafood was also forced to recall more than 100,000 pounds of catfish, which were sold with the label River Catfish Wild USA, from retailers in Texas due to a lack of federal inspection. Unlike most of the catfish sold in the U.S., Fulton Seafood's fish were caught from the wild. But even though they weren't raised in a farm environment, the law still dictates that they need to be inspected by the USDA before they can be distributed to stores or restaurants.
Anyone who had already purchased the catfish was urged to either throw it away or return it to the store they bought it from for a refund. Again, this was because the fish could contain foodborne bacteria, like Listeria or Salmonella. Luckily, there were no reports of illness associated with the uninspected products.
Tuna is, without a doubt, one of the most popular types of seafood consumed in the U.S. In fact, in 2020, more than 266 million Americans consumed the fish in some capacity. But as with many different types of seafood, eating tuna doesn't come without risk.
Back in 2012, California-based company the Moon Marine USA Corporation was forced to recall almost 60,000 pounds of tuna scrape from the market amid fears that it contained a strain of Salmonella bacteria. Tuna scrape refers to tuna that has been scraped from the bones of the fish. It kind of looks like ground meat, and is commonly used in spicy tuna sushi rolls.
Unfortunately, in this instance, the infected products had made around 425 people sick in 28 different states. Around 55 people were hospitalized with Salmonellosis as a result of the contaminated fish, but fortunately, there were no fatalities.
Listeria has been causing seafood recalls for decades. Back in 1995, British brand Glen Dawn Seafoods, which sold smoked salmon under many brand names including Glen Dawn, Fjord Dawn, and Sea Glow, recalled products from across the U.S. after tests found traces of the bacteria in the product. The seafood had been distributed in the U.S. by MacKnight, a Florida-based smoked salmon distributor.
When it comes to Listeria, smoked fish is particularly risky because it isn't always fully cooked. This means that it is easier for bacteria like Listeria, which can be killed by heat but not cold temperatures, to survive on the fish and make people sick. For that reason, cold-smoked fish products are particularly dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly and people who are pregnant. In 2022, UK food safety experts urged vulnerable individuals to avoid consuming smoked fish products altogether due to the risk of Listeria.
Foodborne botulism, which results from consuming food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, is rare, but it does happen. Back in 1982, for example, a Belgian man died after consuming canned salmon in the U.S. that had been contaminated with the bacteria. The man's death led to a major recall of nearly 60 million cans of salmon, all of which were produced using faulty canning equipment in Alaska. The equipment left holes in the cans, which allowed for the growth of Clostridium botulinum.
There were no other reports of foodborne botulism associated with this specific recall, but there have been incidents since. In 2019, for example, there were around 21 cases of the disease in the U.S. Most were related to packaged store-bought foods, and a small number were traced back to homemade fermented beluga flipper. Botulism isn't just caused by food — Clostridium botulinum can also infect wounds, for example (sometimes through the use of dirty needles).
Unfortunately, 1982 was a big year for seafood recalls. In the same year, California-based seafood company Bumble Bee was forced to pull 40 million cans of tuna from the shelves. This time, it wasn't due to Clostridium botulinum, but spoilage. Luckily, there were no reports of illness associated with the tuna products, but consumers did start complaining to the company that the fish was off. Again, as with the Alaska incident, the problem was due to a manufacturing error that led the cans to be damaged with small holes.
Eating spoiled fish comes with a few risks, including scombroid poisoning. In fact, tuna is one of the most common types of seafood associated with the syndrome. Like smoked salmon, canned tuna also presents a risk of foodborne botulism. On top of this, it can also be contaminated with Salmonella and E.coli, among other harmful foodborne strains of bacteria.
Read the original article on Mashed.