Australia: Canned tuna from Thailand under scrutiny

[Scott]

Could have been the cafe.

I thought so too. It's not like they got sick from 4 different places and 4 different cans.

Clearly the cafe owners have either kept the opened fish too long. Or not refrigerated it correctly. The cafe should be inspected and held responsible.

It remains to be seen and it is a good thing that the gov't is looking into the matter. Food that is contaminated or poisonous before the canning process would be different that food that goes bad after it is opened, usually.

I hope that they get to the bottom of it.

[kinmaew]

I initially was worried "John Bull Tuna Chunky Style in Sunflower oil"

I just bought about 8 cans of tuna for $2 each and also 16 cans of salmon $2.50 each all by John West made in LOS as it was so cheap. I am no nut but like to buy in bulk as it lasts for months and you lock in the savings. You see a Thai kitty would just not understand that concept. All those savings are cancelled when puss asks to borrow 20,000 baht I feel for you.

[jacko45k]

Just saw a report on TV about hepatitis infected berries imported to Oz from China.

That I can believe.

Infected food in cans is of course possible too, and Australia should have the expertise to determine if the infection came with the can or is a result of bad practices after it was opened in the cafe.

If it is an Australian company surely they should have supervised sanitary practices at the canning factory.

Four people getting food poisoning is hardly the great plague.

[Songlaw]

John Bull Tuna is owned by Mckenzie foods an Australian company based in Melbourne. They moved thier operations to Thailand a few years ago as part of restructuring and cost cutting. If you look at thier cans it will say Australian owned company with the Australian symbol. It will also say imported product. This will be enough for Thailand to void all responsibility on them.

It seems 4 people so far may be connected to the word 'void' ( discharge or drain away (water, gases, etc.) whilst Thailand avoids responsibility....

Void is for the most part, correct. The problem is with the preposition, "on" and the superfluous use of the pronoun "them." Had the phrase come to a full stop after void, it would have meant Thailand possessed (at least in their minds) sufficient cause to be discharged of all responsibility in this matter. Similarly to its usage in the phrase, "null and void."

[basinboy]

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There was a time when British Meat was banned in many countries due to the Foot and Mouth decease. I am wondering if that too had anything to do with Thailand:-)

This is what happens when soldiers run the show pure poison

The ban on British beef was down to Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or Mad Cow disease.

[SunsetT]

Was the fish 'not properly stored' before canning or after?

[rebelplatoon]

Maybe a connection with the over-fishing of Tuna ?

[TSF]

My hunch is the cafe are responsible here, probably they opened the can then left it out then served the tuna hours later.

[koo wallety tourist]

Maybe a connection with the over-fishing of Tuna ?

no it was global warming

[krisb]

Nice to know that Channel 9 got it right.- not! The screen shot from Channel 9 proclaims the words " Fresh Food Scare". Never in my experience would I describe canned tuna as "Fresh Food"

In the food game as long as it's not off, it's fresh.

[mercman24]

my theory would be the cafe also, we are talking 1 can of TUNA here, if this was the case of pre shop storage, it is logical to assume there would be thousand of cans with the same problem, you dont go fishing for TUNA and end up with one can. i rest my case

[koo wallety tourist]

Scombroid food poisoning is a foodborne illness that results from eating spoiled (decayed) fish.^[1] Along with ciguatera, it is listed as a common type of seafood poisoning.^[2]

However, it is often missed because it resembles an allergic reaction. It is most commonly reported with mackerel, tuna, bluefish, mahi-mahi, bonito, sardines, anchovies, and related species of fish that were inadequately refrigerated or preserved after being caught. The syndrome derived its name because early descriptions of the illness noted an association with Scombroidea fish (e.g., large dark meat marine tuna, albacore, mackerel); however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified other, nonscombroid vectors, such as mahi-mahi and amberjack. Scombroid syndrome can result from inappropriate handling of fish during storage or processing. One of the toxic agents implicated in scombroid poisoning is histidine, which is broken down into histamine. Other chemicals have been found in decaying fish flesh, but their association with scombroid fish poisoning has not been clearly established.

Source- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scombroid_food_poisoning

closest i can see is "Histamine is not destroyed by normal cooking temperatures, so even properly cooked fish can be affected"

havent yet determined that the temperatures, pressures and anaerobic conditions associated with canning will leave the histamine unscathed. if you got a link post it.

[soalbundy]

I would bet at the 90% level this is a cafe problem not the thai tuna. There should be many more problems from difference sources. If not,,,then very likely the cafe mistreatment of the food.

How do you mistreat food in a can ?

[The Deerhunter]

Perhaps one of those forced labour Burmese did it. Trouble-makers these Burmese when on Islands or anything to do with water.

[The Deerhunter]

I would bet at the 90% level this is a cafe problem not the thai tuna. There should be many more problems from difference sources. If not,,,then very likely the cafe mistreatment of the food.

How do you mistreat food in a can ?

Open the can yesterday, leave it on the bench overnight & use it today. "Sniff!" "Should be OK!".

[Jimbolai]

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John Bull Tuna is owned by Mckenzie foods an Australian company based in Melbourne. They moved thier operations to Thailand a few years ago as part of restructuring and cost cutting. If you look at thier cans it will say Australian owned company with the Australian symbol. It will also say imported product. This will be enough for Thailand to void all responsibility on them.

It seems 4 people so far may be connected to the word 'void' ( discharge or drain away (water, gases, etc.) whilst Thailand avoids responsibility.... alt=tongue.png>

Only 4 people got sick. Not in Thailand. Plenty more that are not sick so what is the beef?

[spermwhale]

I have a Thai lady friend who is suffering from a seriously bad reaction to seafood she ate last Sunday. She broke out in such terrible rashes all over her body that she was admitted to hospital. with her legs swollen and itching so bad it was painful. The rash comes and goes ... After a week of missed work and two days in hospital the 17 pills a day she is taking to combat this poisoning or allergic reaction, the rash seems to be subsiding.

The docs said they thing it was a reaction to chemicals the restaurant or fish supplier used to mask the fact that the fish was too old to consume.

[Friendly Stranger]

NOOOOO. Don't say this, I used to live off the stuff...

Isn't all canned tuna from Thailand? Look at any label.

[realenglish1]

"improperly stored" My guess is that it was made at the restaurant and not stored at the proper temperature or old product

This is what I call character assassination . Before all the information about what happened the media attack the manufacture. It could very well

have bee the restaurant Wait for all the facts first

[KhunAussie52]

Scombroid food poisoning is a foodborne illness that results from eating spoiled (decayed) fish.^[1] Along with ciguatera, it is listed as a common type of seafood poisoning.^[2]

However, it is often missed because it resembles an allergic reaction. It is most commonly reported with mackerel, tuna, bluefish, mahi-mahi, bonito, sardines, anchovies, and related species of fish that were inadequately refrigerated or preserved after being caught. The syndrome derived its name because early descriptions of the illness noted an association with Scombroidea fish (e.g., large dark meat marine tuna, albacore, mackerel); however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified other, nonscombroid vectors, such as mahi-mahi and amberjack. Scombroid syndrome can result from inappropriate handling of fish during storage or processing. One of the toxic agents implicated in scombroid poisoning is histidine, which is broken down into histamine. Other chemicals have been found in decaying fish flesh, but their association with scombroid fish poisoning has not been clearly established.

Source- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scombroid_food_poisoning

closest i can see is "Histamine is not destroyed by normal cooking temperatures, so even properly cooked fish can be affected"

havent yet determined that the temperatures, pressures and anaerobic conditions associated with canning will leave the histamine unscathed. if you got a link post it.

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/discond/Documents/Scombroid.pdf

[KhunAussie52]

Scombroid food poisoning is a foodborne illness that results from eating spoiled (decayed) fish.^[1] Along with ciguatera, it is listed as a common type of seafood poisoning.^[2]

However, it is often missed because it resembles an allergic reaction. It is most commonly reported with mackerel, tuna, bluefish, mahi-mahi, bonito, sardines, anchovies, and related species of fish that were inadequately refrigerated or preserved after being caught. The syndrome derived its name because early descriptions of the illness noted an association with Scombroidea fish (e.g., large dark meat marine tuna, albacore, mackerel); however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified other, nonscombroid vectors, such as mahi-mahi and amberjack. Scombroid syndrome can result from inappropriate handling of fish during storage or processing. One of the toxic agents implicated in scombroid poisoning is histidine, which is broken down into histamine. Other chemicals have been found in decaying fish flesh, but their association with scombroid fish poisoning has not been clearly established.

Source- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scombroid_food_poisoning

closest i can see is "Histamine is not destroyed by normal cooking temperatures, so even properly cooked fish can be affected"

havent yet determined that the temperatures, pressures and anaerobic conditions associated with canning will leave the histamine unscathed. if you got a link post it.

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/discond/Documents/Scombroid.pdf

http://www.foodsafetywatch.org/factsheets/scombrotoxin-histamine/

[Jimbolai]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I have a Thai lady friend who is suffering from a seriously bad reaction to seafood she ate last Sunday. She broke out in such terrible rashes all over her body that she was admitted to hospital. with her legs swollen and itching so bad it was painful. The rash comes and goes ... After a week of missed work and two days in hospital the 17 pills a day she is taking to combat this poisoning or allergic reaction, the rash seems to be subsiding.

The docs said they thing it was a reaction to chemicals the restaurant or fish supplier used to mask the fact that the fish was too old to consume.

Where did she eat the bad stuff and how is she doing now?

[spermwhale]

People die every day here from food poisoning but you 'll never hear about it because nobody reports on it. Food safety standards here are extremely low but there is no system for identifying or putting a stop to an outbreak of food borne illnesses. 20 people eat at the same restaurant. All get sick all go to different hospitals where staff never ask what may have happened and the data never gets collected by a central agency.

PEOPLE: LIFE IS CHEAP IN THAILAND AND LOTS OF FOOD SELLERS DO ALL TYPES OF CRAP TO THEIR FOOD TO MAKE SURE IT STILL SMELLS FRESH.

Buyer beware.

I get sick here like clockwork at least once a year from bad food.

[BlackJack]

I dont think they would put on TV that it was the Thai canned tuna if it wasnt

Australia has no bill of rights and so you cant say what you want like in the USA

[smotherb]

Nice to know that Channel 9 got it right.- not! The screen shot from Channel 9 proclaims the words " Fresh Food Scare". Never in my experience would I describe canned tuna as "Fresh Food"

"Fresh" could be equated with "new"

[devaram]

Sometimes restaurants open the tuna annd keep it in the fridge for a long so it goes bad. This was the case at Salad concept in Chiangmai as well. The tuna was rotten filth. I probably would have been sent to the hospital if had eaten that tuna but fortunately I sent it back to the kitchen and got something else. This the fault of lazy restaurant employees not the fault of the tuna company..could happen anywhere.

[Mot Dang]

People die every day here from food poisoning but you 'll never hear about it because nobody reports on it. Food safety standards here are extremely low but there is no system for identifying or putting a stop to an outbreak of food borne illnesses. 20 people eat at the same restaurant. All get sick all go to different hospitals where staff never ask what may have happened and the data never gets collected by a central agency.

PEOPLE: LIFE IS CHEAP IN THAILAND AND LOTS OF FOOD SELLERS DO ALL TYPES OF CRAP TO THEIR FOOD TO MAKE SURE IT STILL SMELLS FRESH.

Buyer beware.

I get sick here like clockwork at least once a year from bad food.

Last November I got sick on clams (pippies) in Cha Am. It turned out to be algae toxin poisoning, algae that the clams had been eating. The clams tasted fine, and they were alive before being stir fried. Ended up in Hua Hin Bangkok hospital, two nights in ICU. Not nice, lost so much fluid in the hour before reaching hospital that my potassium levels dropped so low that my heart went into arrhythmia. On reaching hospital the doctors said I had 30 minutes before I would have croaked. The trouble with this toxin, no amount of cooking reduces the effect. Funny I cannot look at seafood the same way now.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Mot Dang

[Rickster]

John Bull should not be confused with John West. Two different companies. John Bull Tuna is canned in bulk for restaurant and cafes not found in supermarkets.

Nobody is confused......We can all read

[cauldlad]

Only 4 people ill and they are blaming the tuna, give me a break!!!!

If it was poisoned tuna surely there would be a hell of a lot more people ill?

Much more likely to be poor hygene practices in the cafe.

[mikiea]

as far as i am aware, canning kills everything. so it the cafe who are at fault for bad storage.

that said some of the tinned tuna one buys in thailand tastes as if the fish used is close to rotten when it was being tinned. adding salt improves it to edible

huh..... aware that canning kill everything ? you ment to say proper canning kills everything ? canned food kills hundreds of people every year. half the time it is not known for quite some time the reason for death. a sharp doc or coroner spots a pattern, then it is looked into. :-)