Last month marked the beginning of New York City's official campaign against Salmonella from sushi, Food Safety News reports. All restaurants are now required to freeze the fish first before serving to customers.
Purists need not raise an issue as NYC's most high-end restaurants have been practicing this for years for the exact same reasons legislators used to ink the law. However, it would seem that freezing tuna and other fish used for sushi is no longer 100% fool-proof.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported an outbreak of Salmonella which ultimately sickened 65 people across 11 states. There were 35 cases reported in California, 18 in Arizona and New Mexico, and the rest were scattered across the US, NPR reports.
The outbreak is linked to yellowfin tuna processed in Indonesia and sold by the Osamu Corporation. The AFC Corporation was also sold the fish which they in turn sold as grocery store sushi.
"Most ill people in the outbreak reported eating sushi made with raw tuna in the week before becoming sick," the CDC said in a statement. Osamu Corporation has voluntarily recalled the bad batch of tuna. Right now the outbreak is considered over but there might still be tuna in some home freezers.
This is not the first time that Salmonella from tuna has caused an outbreak. In 2012 another Salmonella strain had sickened 425 people. "We knew it could be a possible vehicle," says CDC epidemiologist Matthew Wise.
However, Salmonella is bacteria found in animal intestines, most notably in chickens. It is possible that the contamination happened somewhere between capturing and processing. Unsanitary conditions in the processing facility or in shipment are possible areas for contamination but there are many other factors that must be considered.
Uncommon bacteria outbreaks have been linked to other unlikely food. For example, the Listeria bacteria, usually found in deli meat and soft cheese, caused a past outbreak that was linked to ice cream and caramel apples.
