10 Of The Worst Seafood Recalls That Swept Across America

It's no secret Americans love seafood. In fact, the average person consumes 20.5 pounds of seafood every year. While seafood is often hailed for being a healthy part of a human diet, it is also known for being the source of many food-related illnesses each year. Harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites all play a part in this, which is why institutions like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tasked with issuing recalls the minute a problem becomes apparent.

Over the years, thousands of seafood recalls have been initiated, but there are a select few that have truly rattled the hearts, and stomachs, of American consumers. From illegal imports to life-threatening outbreaks, these situations gained national attention for their severity and uniqueness. In this article, we will dive deep into 10 of the worst seafood recalls that swept across America, examining what went wrong, who was affected, and how these companies moved forward in the aftermath.

Seafood recalls are far from just a thing of the past, as became apparent with a historic recall initiated earlier this month. On June 10, 2025, the FDA announced that Bornstein Seafoods of Bellingham, Washington had issued a recall on 44,550 pounds of their Cooked & Peeled Ready-To-Eat Coldwater Shrimp Meat. According to the FDA, this recall was initiated after Listeria monocytogenes was detected in a sample of the shrimp.

Listeria monocytogenes is a disease-causing bacteria that thrives in unsanitary environments. Being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can lead to stomach illness, fever, nausea, headaches, confusions, and other threatening symptoms. This bacteria is particularly dangerous for babies, pregnant mothers, and senior citizens, as it can be fatal.

The recall affected retailers and food distributors in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Thankfully, no illnesses have been reported, and the company is continuing to investigate the source of the outbreak.

In 2016, another major seafood recall made headlines, this time for a packaging error. On March 16, 2016, Bumble Bee Foods, LLC announced they were voluntarily recalling three variations of the Chunk Light tuna after an audit revealed a potentially dangerous situation at their packing facility. According to Bumble Bee Foods, errors in the packaging process led to these cans of tunas not being sterile.

Canned tuna needs to be sterile to ensure the fish inside does not spoil or become contaminated before consumption. While no illnesses were reported, this recall was necessary to help protect Bumble Bee customers. A significant 31,579 cases of tuna cans were recalled, including their 5 ounce Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 5 ounce Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Oil, and four pack of 5 ounce Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water.

While many recalls are issued out of precaution, some are sadly initiated after tragedy strikes an innocent customer. In April of 1982, history was made when 50 million 7 ounce cans of salmon were recalled after a customer in Belgium died from botulism. Botulism is a rare illness caused by a toxin created by Clostridium botulinum. Once infected, botulism can cause breathing difficulties, muscle paralysis, and potentially death.

His death was attributed to a defect in the cans, which allowed this rare paralytic illness to infect the salmon inside. The defective cans were produced at the Whitney-Fidalgo Seafood Co. plants and the St. Elias Ocean Products Cannery in Alaska, but were distributed nationally under a variety of brands. At the time, this was the second-largest food recall in history, and its effects were seen worldwide. The tragic death and illness caused by this situation make this recall a significant event in the food industry.

In 2015, eighteen varieties of canned seafood were recalled from Skipanon Brand Seafood, which processes food in the Pacific Northwest. The first recall was issued in October, when it was discovered that there was an issue with the canning process. The defect led to these cans becoming a potential host to Clostridium botulinum, which can give customers botulism.

These recalls affected a variety of brands and a variety of different seafoods, including tuna, salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, razor clams, and black cod. According to the businesses Facebook page, the company ended up closing their doors forever in 2018. This situation is a reminder of how recalls can affect a business, even after the affected products are removed from the hands of customers. The reputation of having a potentially unstable production facility is hard to shake, as is apparent with Skipanon Brand Seafood.

According to the Oyster Recovery Partnership, Americans consume around 2.5 billion oysters every year. While this popular delicacy is known for being delicate and delicious, they are also infamous for being recalled on several occasions. In December of 2024, the FDA issued a statement warning restaurants and retailers not to serve certain oysters from British Columbia and Canada after it was discovered that the batches were potentially contaminated with Norovirus.

Norovirus, commonly called the "stomach flu," is a contagious virus known to cause vomiting and stomach illness. Raw oysters are known to sometimes carry norovirus, which can be dangerous to children, seniors, and those with weak immune systems. This recall was particularly notable because of its reach; retailers and restaurants in Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania were affected. In the future, oyster lovers may want to consider following the "R-Rule" when debating whether or not to order them.

While some recalls occur because of mistakes and uncontrollable factors, others happen due to deliberate negligence from a company. In May of 2021, Otten's Seafood, Inc. was forced to recall approximately 46,804 pounds of Siluriformes fish, also known as catfish. The recall was enacted because the products were produced and sold without being inspected by the USDA. Failure to have the fish inspected is a major violation, and the USDA had to issue a recall in order to ensure that the public was safe. 

This issue was discovered by FSIS surveillance, which realized the catfish did not have the necessary USDA mark of inspection. The fish were also not processed and produced in a facility inspected and approved by the USDA. While no known illnesses were discovered from this recall, the size and scale of it does make it historically significant. In the end, only 4,140 pounds of the recalled product were reportedly recovered.

In June of 2020, Trident Seafoods Corporation issued a voluntary recall after it was discovered that one of its products may contain an undeclared allergen. Internal product review found that the Gordon Choice® Imitation Crab Supreme Style contained egg whites, which were not labeled on the packaging. Eggs are a common allergen, making this labelling error a major concern for public health.

More than 50,000 pounds of this product were recalled across 24 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, to name a few. All were distributed through Gordon Food Service distribution and Gordon Food Service Stores. This recall was a prime example of how important it is to correctly label a food product and how incorrect labeling can cause massive issues for a company.

In one of the largest recalls in recent history, Maxfield Seafood had to recall 160,020 pounds of fish after it was discovered that the product had not been presented for import re-inspection by the USDA and FSIS. Similar to the Otten's Seafood recall, the fish that was pulled in this recall was also Siluriformes fish, or catfish. Failure to present an import for inspection is grounds for a recall by the USDA and FSIS. 

According to the announcement made by the FSIS in 2019, these products were produced in a Vietnamese facility that did not have the correct eligibility to export catfish into the United States. This issue was discovered during routine FSIS surveillance. Thankfully, no illness was reported from the affected fish. In the end, only 1,371 pounds out of a total of 160,020 pounds of the recalled catfish were recovered and removed from the market.

In October of 2024, Acme Smoked Fish Corporation found itself having to issue a recall for 111 cases of their Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon in twin 12 ounce packages. This product, which is a part of Costco's beloved Kirkland Signature line of products, was recalled after laboratory testing found the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the Brooklyn factory where the fish was produced.

Listeria monocytogenes can be incredibly dangerous to children, the elderly, pregnant people, or anyone that is immunocompromised. Infected individuals may experience symptoms like fever, headaches, nausea, stomach pains, and stiffness. What made this recall particularly significant was that it affected a Kirkland Signature seafood product, which typically has a reputation for being high quality. Thankfully, no illnesses were linked to this recall, but it still will be remembered for its severity and for the high-profile supplier it affected.

In another high-profile recall, Whole Foods was left with no other option but to issue a recall of their 365 Whole Foods Market Beer Battered Pollock Fillets and their Beer Battered Cod Fillets after a labeling error left customers potentially in danger. The labeling issue in this case was the fact that soy was discovered in the product but not labeled on the packaging. Soy is a relatively common allergy, and failing to correctly label this package could have led to a serious reaction ingested by someone who was allergic.

In total, 405 pounds of this product were recalled. While this number is not as severe as some of the other recalls noted in this article, the fact that it was a 365 Whole Foods product made this notable among customers. This recall, alongside others on this list, are a sobering reminder that the food we purchase can sometimes pose hidden dangers. Whether it's a recall due to dangerous bacteria, a labeling mishap, or an illegally imported product, each incident underscores the importance of food safety in our country.