The Ohio Department of Agriculture this weekend issued a public health alert after Kroger stores at Austin Landing and Cornerstone sold fresh yellowfin tuna steaks linked to four Scombroid poisoning cases in Montgomery and Franklin counties.
The fish labeled “Tuna Yellowfin Steak Fresh Wild Caught” with sell-by dates of Sept. 3 and Sept. 5 was purchased from three different Kroger stores: 5400 Cornerstone North Blvd. in Centerville; 10101 Landing Way in Austin Landing, Miami Twp., and at a Gahanna store in suburban Columbus. The product was both with and without sesame ginger seasoning.
Scombroid fish poisoning, or histamine fish poisoning, resembles an allergic reaction that occurs after eating fish contaminated with high levels of histamine.
Scombroid poisoning is a disease due to the ingestion of contaminated fish. In scombroid poisoning, bacteria have grown during improper storage of the dark meat of the fish and the bacteria produce scombroid toxin. The scombroid toxin, or poison, is probably a combination of histamine and histamine-like chemicals.
Susceptible fish include albacore, amberjack, anchovy, Australian salmon, bluefish, bonito, kahawai, herring, mackerel, mahi-mahi, needlefish, saury, sardine, skipjack, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna.
Symptoms begin within two minutes to several hours after eating the fish. The most common symptoms are tingling and burning sensations around the mouth, facial flushing, sweating, nausea, vomiting, headache, palpitations, dizziness, and rash.
Most people have mild symptoms that resolve within a few hours. In some cases, symptoms may last for several days. Those with signs or symptoms of foodborne illness are urged to contact a physician immediately.
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