There’s a Massive Canned Tuna Recall Happening Now

Tri-Union Seafoods has issued a multi-state recall of canned tuna products sold at Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Costco, and more popular stores over botulism concerns. Botulism is a rare but serious illness that can cause paralysis and death. 

The voluntary recall is “out of an abundance of caution” after a supplier noticed that the company’s easy open pull tab can lid on some products had a manufacturer’s defect that might cause the lid’s seal to break, according to a press release from Tri-Union Seafood. That can cause the can to leak or even to be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a dangerous bacteria that causes botulism. (No illnesses have been reported as of Feb. 11, 2025, according to Tri-Union Seafood.)

While you may not recognize the name Tri-Union Seafoods, you might know the impacted brands the company produces: H-E-B, Trader Joe’s, Genova, and Van Camp’s. Here’s a full breakdown of the impacted products, as well as the states where they were sold, according to a recall alert issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

• H-E-B label: Texas
• Trader Joe's label: Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin
• Genova 7 ounce: Costco in Florida and Georgia
• Genova 5 ounce: Harris Teeter, Publix, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Walmart, and independent stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Texas
• Van Camp's: Walmart and independent stores in Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey

The FDA has a full list of the 13 impacted products, along with their UPC codes and best by dates. 

Why is this recall dangerous?

Botulism is a serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That leads to trouble breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death. "It's very dangerous because if a person ingests even a small amount of this toxin, the consequences can be deadly," explains Ellen Shumaker, PhD, food safety expert and director of outreach for the Safe Plates program at North Carolina State University. 

Botulism can cause a range of symptoms, per the CDC. Those include:

• Trouble swallowing
• Muscle weakness
• Double vision
• Drooping eyelids
• Blurry vision
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty moving the eyes
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea

“It causes paralysis that starts with the cranial nerves, which are involved in the head and neck region, and the paralysis is balanced on each side,” says Thomas Russo, MD, a professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. “The paralysis slowly descends from there. If it paralyzes the diaphragm, you can die.”

The bacteria that make botulinum toxin makes spores that help the bacteria survive, even in extreme conditions, per the CDC. When the spores grow, they make the lethal toxin. 

Those spores can grow and become toxic in certain conditions, including low-oxygen or no-oxygen, low acid, low sugar, low salt, and within a certain temperature range or amount of water, according to the CDC. Improperly home canned, preserved, or fermented foods usually provide these conditions, per the CDC. 

Russo points out that there are “multiple ways to get botulism, but through food is the most common.”

Signs of botulism in cans

You can’t see, smell, or taste botulism in canned foods, says Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. That makes it crucial to inspect cans before you use them. 

The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends avoiding cans that are leaking, bulging, badly dented, or that have bulging lids. Jars that are cracked or that have loose or bulging lids should also be avoided, per USDA. Any container that spurts liquid when opening it should also be avoided. “A can with gas in it or in which the ‘bubble’ is popped should not be consumed,” Adalja says. 

In general, Shumaker says that canned foods are safe—provided they’re not part of the recall and don’t have the features we just listed. “Commercially canned foods require processing with special equipment at extremely high temperatures and should be considered safe,” she says. 

What should you do if you have these tuna cans at home

The FDA is urging people who have impacted cans at home not to use them, even if it doesn’t look or smell spoiled. If you have a recalled tuna can, return it to the retailer where you purchased it for a full refund, throw it away, or contact Tri-Union Seafoods directly at [email protected] or 833-374-0171 for a retrieval kit and a coupon for a replacement product. 

If you’ve eaten one of these products and you develop symptoms of botulism, the FDA recommends seeking immediate medical attention. Time is crucial with botulism treatment, Russo says. The condition is treated with an anti-toxin, which prevents the toxin from doing more damage, Shumaker explains. However, it doesn’t heal damage that’s already been done.