April 17 (Reuters) - Nearly 60,000 pounds of frozen tuna used in sushi is being recalled by a California company after it was linked to a salmonella outbreak that struck 116 people across 20 states.
The Food and Drug Administration said Moon Marine USA has begun voluntarily recalling the raw yellowfin tuna, sold through distributors to restaurants and grocery stores that make sushi and sashimi.
The outbreak of salmonella, which can result in diarrhea, fever and cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection, left a dozen people hospitalized, according to the FDA website.
The highest number of cases, 24, were reported in New York and many of the people who fell ill reported having recently eaten "spicy tuna" sushi, the FDA said in a statement Friday.
Cases were also reported in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
In all, Moon Marine is recalling 58,828 pounds of the tuna, labeled as Nakaochi Scrape.
The FDA advised consumers who purchased "sushi, sashimi, ceviche, or similar dishes that might contain Nakaochi Scrape from a restaurant or grocery store, check with the establishment to make sure that it does not contain raw recalled product" from Moon Marine.
"When in doubt, don't eat it," the FDA said.
The recall comes after an investigation by state, local and federal public health agencies into the outbreak of the Bareilly strain of salmonella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It said the investigation was ongoing. (Reporting by Paul Thomasch)
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