SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KGO) --
Five Bay Area restaurants may have served Ahi Tuna containing Hepatitis A.
Hawaii-based Hilo Fish Company has recalled the frozen Yellowfin Tuna cubes.
The fish came from Vietnam and the Phillippines to The Blue Hawaii Cafe, Bonito Poke food truck, and the Poke Shack -- all in San Francisco.
Fenix in San Rafael and Noelani's Bar and Grill in San Carlos also received the tuna.
Symptoms for hepatitis include fever, loss of appetite, and stomach pain. No illnesses have been reported.
Hepatitis A and Undercooked Shellfish
Bivalves such as oysters and clams filter large amounts of water when feeding. If shellfish are living in water that has been contaminated with stool containing the hepatitis A virus, the shellfish may carry the virus. People then may get it when they eat the raw or undercooked shellfish.
Raw shellfish also may carry other viruses and bacteria that can make people sick.
Not everyone who eats contaminated raw oysters or other raw shellfish will become sick. But to reduce the chance of getting sick, make sure that shellfish have been cooked thoroughly.
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Frozen tuna recalled after testing showed hepatitis A virus
By the associated press
OKLAHOMA CITY — Jun 2, 2017, 1:49 PM ET
Some imported frozen tuna cubes and steaks are being recalled after testing showed they could be contaminated with the hepatitis A virus.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Hawaii-based Hilo Fish Company told the agency in May it had recalled yellowfin tuna that tested positive for the virus. Hilo says the fish was sourced from Sustainable Seafood Company in Vietnam and Santa Cruz Seafood Inc. in the Philippines.
Some products were distributed to retail locations and restaurants in California, Texas and Oklahoma.
The FDA said Thursday no reports of illness have been linked to the tuna.
Hilo Fish Company's recalled products include 8-ounce steaks with label code 627152, and tuna cubes in 15-pound cases with label code 705342.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hepatitis A is a liver disease that can be transmitted through food or skin-to-skin contact.
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Frozen tuna tainted with hepatitis A shipped to Austin, New Braunfels retailers
By Dave Byknish
Published: June 2, 2017, 11:43 am Updated: June 2, 2017, 9:26 pm
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Food and Drug Administration is urging caution and beginning an investigation of frozen tuna shipped from Indonesia that may be tainted with the hepatitis A virus. The tuna is believed to have been shipped to Austin and New Braunfels
The FDA has issued a recall for frozen yellowfin tuna steaks from Sustainable Seafood Company and yellowfin tuna cubes from Santa Cruz Seafood.
This recall by Hilo Fish Company includes Tuna Steaks, 8 oz. individually vacuum packed bags, production date code: 627152, Lot number: 166623; Expiration date: 2018-10-01 and Frozen Yellowfin tuna cubes, random; Individually vacuum packed; 15 lb. case, date code: 705342, Lot number: 173448; Expiration dates: 2019-04-01.
A spokesperson for HEB says the yellowfin tuna was only sold through a limited chef’s special plate ordered from May 5 through May 7 in the Central Market Cafe. HEB says they have not received any reports of illness related to this incident.
The tuna was also shipped to Sysco Foods Central Texas in New Braunfels.
No illnesses have been reported related to the tuna but if you feel you have gotten sick or eaten contaminated tuna within the last two weeks, you are urged to contact your doctor.
Contaminated shellfish, berries and salads are the most frequent foodborne sources of hepatitis A.
The contaminated tuna was initially found in a tuna shipment in Hawaii.
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About us
Sustainable Seafood Limited Company (SSC)
is a company specialized in processing and exporting fish: fresh and
frozen tuna (yellow fin & big eye), barramundi, mahi mahi and
opakapaka..
With a team of experienced staff in the seafood industry, SSC is one of the suppliers of the most prestigious frozen seafood suppliers on both dosmetic and international market.
Sustainable Seafoods Co., Ltd. is
located in Cam Lam - Khanh Hoa, where natural resourses of seafood are
abundant and plentiful. Natural advantages, modern equipment,
professional human resources are the basis for the development and
success. Currently SSC has been successful in exporting orders to countries outside with the EU code: DL 607.
- The company mainly focuses on the development of traditional products with credibility and quality
- Sustainable Seafood Co. strives for becoming one of the seafood export companies with prestige and high quality of Vietnam.
- Developing SSC brand prestigiously and sustainability.
- Maintaining existing export markets and continuously expanding new ones.
- Strengthening business administration, human resources organization, salary policy and constantly training, attracting qualified staff, always having good remuneration policies for the Leaders, the Managers and the employees.
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What is the hepatitis A virus?
The hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Picornaviridae family and the genus Hepatovirus. It is an enteric virus and causes a liver disease in humans now known as hepatitis A (previously known by other names including infectious jaundice, viral hepatitis and infectious hepatitis). There are a number of different hepatitis viruses but only the HAV, and possibly the hepatitis E virus, can cause foodborne disease.
What foods can be contaminated?
The HAV can only be present in foods as the result of faecal contamination. Although this means that any food handled under poor hygienic practices could potentially be contaminated, it is bivalve molluscan shellfish, such as oysters, cockles and mussels, which are the most common source of foodborne viruses. These shellfish concentrate any virus particles in their tissues during filter feeding in contaminated water.
In recent years, fresh produce, such as salads, fresh fruits and vegetables, has increasingly been implicated in foodborne outbreaks of hepatitis A. These products are likely to be consumed raw or lightly cooked, and can become contaminated with faecal matter at almost any point during growing, harvesting, transport and packing.
How does it affect human health?
The infective dose for the HAV is uncertain, but it may be that as few as 10 – 100 virus particles could cause disease. The incubation time before symptoms appear is on average about 4 weeks, but it can vary from 2 – 6 weeks. This long incubation time can mean that it may be difficult to trace the exact source of the infection, and that large numbers of individuals are affected before it becomes evident that there is viral contamination in the food chain.
Many cases of HAV infection are asymptomatic, particularly in children. When disease is evident, hepatitis A infection is usually a mild illness. Initial symptoms include headache, fatigue, fever, poor appetite, abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting. After a week or so, viraemia (where virus can be detected in the blood stream) and liver disease in the form of jaundice, or liver enzyme elevation, occurs. Hepatitis A is usually a self-limiting disease lasting up to 2 months, but in a few cases the virus can cause long or recurring illness lasting up to 6 months. Infection can be fatal, particularly in people over 50 years old.
In the USA, this age group has a mortality rate reported as 1.8 %
During infection individuals can excrete high numbers of virus particles (more than 1,000,000 particles/g of faeces). The shedding of particles can start in the last 2 weeks of the incubation period and in some individuals can continue for up to 5 months after infection.
How common is illness?
In many developing countries the disease is endemic and exposure during early childhood because of poor hygiene is common. Early childhood infections are usually asymptomatic and confer lifelong immunity.
Outbreaks of hepatitis A are more likely to occur in developed nations, or amongst travellers from developed countries to the developing world, because exposure to the virus during early childhood in individuals from developed regions is low. Countries where the adult population has no immunity are at risk of large hepatitis A outbreaks when food or water supplies are contaminated with the virus.
In 2007 there were an estimated 25,000 new hepatitis A infections in the USA, although only a small percentage (less than 5%) of these are likely to have been food or waterborne. In the EU in 2008 there were just over 17,000 reported cases of hepatitis A reported by 29 countries. In England and Wales the incidence of hepatitis A has decreased from just over 1,800 in 1997 to around 400 in recent years.
Outbreaks
Contaminated water and bivalve shellfish such as oysters, cockles and mussels, are often associated with hepatitis A infections. The largest recorded foodborne outbreak, involving 290,000 cases, was in Shanghai, China in 1988 and was caused by clams harvested from waters polluted by raw sewage.
Fresh fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries harvested by infected pickers, and associated products such as orange juice, have caused outbreaks in the UK, New Zealand and the USA, respectively. Imported lettuce, and in 2003 imported raw/undercooked green onions (601 cases with 3 deaths), have also caused large outbreaks in the USA.
Other foods linked to outbreaks include bakery products, sandwiches, iced beverages, milk and milk products, semi-dried tomatoes, raw beef, beer and soft drinks.
Where does it come from?
The human intestine is the main reservoir for the HAV and asymptomatic infected individuals, especially children, are an important source of the virus.
Transmission can occur via the faecal-oral route by direct person-to-person contact, or from the ingestion of contaminated food or water. It has been reported that transmission of the virus can occur as the result of using contaminated drinking glasses. Infected food handlers with poor hygiene are a potential source of the virus in food.
How is it affected by environmental factors?
Viruses, including the HAV, are unable to multiply outside of the host. Although the HAV cannot grow in food or water, it can survive in many environments for some time. When excreted in human faeces the virus can survive in water or soil for at least 12 weeks at 25°C. It has a high resistance to many chemicals and solvents and is more resistant to heat and drying than other enteric viruses. It can survive refrigeration and freezing for up to two years and it is resistant to acid (pH 1 for 2 hours at room temperature).
The HAV is resistant to low levels of free chlorine (0.5 – 1 mg free chlorine/l for 30 minutes). It is also resistant to perchloroacetic acid (300 mg/l) and chloramines (1g/l) for 15 minutes at 20°C. The virus can be inactivated on surfaces with a 1:100 solution of sodium hypochlorite, or household bleach in tap water.
Thermal inactivation
The HAV is relatively heat resistant, although thorough cooking at higher temperatures will usually inactivate the virus. It is resistant at 70°C for up to 10 minutes but is inactivated at temperatures of 85°C for 1 minute. In the UK it has been recommended that cockles are heated to an internal temperature of 85 – 90°C for 1.5 minutes to inactivate HAV and data from the World Health Organization suggests that shellfish from HAV-contaminated areas should be heated to 90°C for 4 min or steamed for 90 sec.
How can it be controlled?
Strategies to reduce the risk of foodborne outbreaks of hepatitis A should focus on preventing foods from becoming contaminated. In developing countries young children should be kept away from areas where fresh produce is grown and harvested, and clean water should be used for the irrigation, washing and processing of foods. Shellfish harvesting areas should be monitored for sewage contamination.
For food processors
Food handlers should wash hands frequently and wear gloves, particularly at points in the food chain where foods that will receive no further cooking are handled. Those suffering from symptoms of hepatitis A should be removed from the food production area until they have a medical release.
For caterers and consumers
Caterers should be careful to purchase shellfish and fresh produce from sources where there is little risk of contamination.
If food could be contaminated with the HAV, consumers should be advised only to eat thoroughly cooked foods from known sources and not to eat uncooked fruits or vegetables that they have not peeled or prepared themselves.
Are there rules and regulations?
There is no specific legislation in the EU or in the USA regarding levels of enteric viruses, such as HAV, in foods. However, EFSA has recommended the development of microbiological criteria for viruses in bivalve molluscs unless they are labelled: “to be cooked before consumption