Possible health risks make Bumble Bee Foods and Tri-Union Seafoods to voluntarily recall canned chunk light tuna. The company informed in an official statement, “These deviations were part of the commercial sterilization process and could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens, which could lead to life-threatening illness if consumed”. So far, there is no report of any illness related to the recalled tuna.

As per Steve Mavity, Bumble Bee's senior vice president, technical services and corporate quality, the recalls are linked. Mavity said that Bumble Bee has recalled some particular codes of canned Chunk Light Tuna that have been produced in Chicken of the Sea's Georgia production facility. It is Bumble Bee’s third-party supplier.

John DeBeer, vice president of Quality and Compliance for Chicken of the Sea, said that during a regular inspection, a malfunction was discovered in a machinery part. DeBeer added that the part has been changed, and the verification of the proper functionality of the machine has been done.

It has recalled 31,579 cases of the canned tuna with printed UPC codes 8660000020, 8660000021 and 8660000736. Produced last month, they were distributed nationwide.

According to the company, they may pose a likely health risk due to ‘process deviations’ which took place at a packing facility.

Both companies said that the recalls haven’t affected any other production codes or products. DeBeer said that the rest of the products manufactured at the same facility were not affected, as found by an internal investigation.

The company said that the recall has been started out of an abundance of caution because of the probable under-processing of the affect products.

Tri-Union Seafoods has recalled 2,745 cases of Chicken of the Sea brand canned tuna as it could have been undercooked because of an equipment malfunction, as per the manufacturer Tri-Union Seafoods.