An unusual recall is affecting a product that was initially pulled from shelves in February 2025. The Food & Drug Administration issued a new urgent recall this week because a third-party distributor “inadvertently distributed quarantined canned tuna,” which was recalled last year.

The products, distributed by Tri-Union Seafoods, included 5-oz. cans of tuna, which were recalled due to the risk of contamination with Clostridium botulinum, according to the initial 2025 announcement.

Clostridium botulinum can cause fatal food poisoning.

The tuna, sold under the brand name Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil and Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Extra VirginOlive Oil, was available at Meijer, Giant Foods, Safeway, Albertson, Vons, and Pavilions.

The cans were discovered to be for sale in the following states:

  • California
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Ohio
  • Virginia
  • Wisconsin

Customers in these states should check their pantries and cupboards immediately, looking for the following UPC and date codes:

  • Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil 5.0 oz 4 Pack with UPC code 4800073265 and “use by” date of 1/21/2028 or 1/24/2028.
  • Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Sea Salt 5.0 oz with UPC code 4800013275 and a “use by” date of 1/17/2028.

Consumers should not use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled. Anyone who consumes the product and feels unwell should seek immediate medical attention.

Tuna that was recalled initially in 2025 has a new urgent FDA warning.

Photo by Daniel Tamas Mehes on Getty Images

Why is recalled tuna still available?

This is one of the recent food recalls that caught my attention because tuna is a staple in my house. I was not familiar with this particular brand, but I checked my pantry anyway, just in case.

“The most recent incident is unfortunate and highlights what can happen when recalled product is not properly quarantined or when adequate procedures are not in place to prevent it from reentering the marketplace,” Sedgwick Senior Client Services VP and product-recall expert Chris Harvey told TheStreet.

Related: Voluntary vs. mandatory food recalls: what you should know

“Recall firms and supply‑chain stakeholders should have clear, enforceable processes to ensure recalled items are fully contained and cannot be redistributed,” he said.

“While it is ideal to destroy recalled product as quickly as possible, destruction is sometimes delayed due to ongoing litigation, resulting in extended storage periods and increased risk,” Harvey added.

Recalls involving tuna are not unusual

“Botulism-related recalls are extremely rare compared with recalls involving other bacteria. While botulism risks appear more frequently in seafood products than in many other categories, they remain uncommon — but can be very serious when they occur,” Harvey said.

Since 2015, there have been 60 FDA recalls in which tuna or products that contained tuna as a primary ingredient were affected. Only three of those recalls were associated with botulism or contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.

What to do if you have recalled tuna at home

If you have a recalled tuna can, please return it to the place of purchase for a full refund, throw it away, or contact Tri-Union Seafoods directly for a retrieval kit and a coupon for a replacement product.

Consumers can contact Tri-Union Seafoods at support@thaiunionhelp.zendesk.com or 833-374-0171 if they have any questions or to request a replacement product. The toll-free number hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

Deadly food recalls since 2024

The FDA publishes a new food or product recall nearly every day. Most food recalls are not considered potentially fatal, but at least once a year, there is at least one.

Since 2024, these are some food recalls that involved fatalities:

  • 2024: Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats (Boar’s Head and others)
    Deaths: 9
    Hospitalizations: 57
    Products: Multiple deli meats, widespread retail distribution
  • 2024: Soft-serve ice cream mix contaminated with listeria
    Deaths: 3
    Illnesses: Multiple, including hospitalizations.
    Products: Soft-serve ice cream mix used in restaurants and food service
  • 2024: Frozen chicken entrées contaminated with Salmonella
    Deaths: 2
    Illnesses: 46
    Products: Ready-to-eat frozen breaded stuffed chicken entrées
  • 2025: Listeria in frozen supplemental shakes
    Deaths:     1
    Illnesses: 42
    Hospitalizations: 41
    Products: Lyons ReadyCare & Sysco Imperial frozen supplemental shakes
  • 2025 Listeria in prepared pasta meals
    Deaths: At least six (including pregnancy-associated loss)
    Illnesses: Dozens

Symptoms of botulism poisoning

Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by toxins from Clostridium botulinum (and rarely C. butyricum or C. baratii) that attack the nervous system and can cause paralysis or death if untreated, according to Cleveland Clinic.​

If you’ve eaten a food contaminated with botulism, you could experience symptoms within hours of eating the food, or up to two weeks later. Symptoms can include blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, difficulty speaking or swallowing, and progressive, symmetric paralysis that moves downward without causing numbness.​

Botulism can cause paralysis of the breathing muscles, which can be fatal; people with suspected botulism should call emergency services or go to an ER immediately.

Most people who get food poisoning from Clostridium botulinum recover fully, though weakness and other effects can last weeks to months.