Beware! Sushi's "Tuna Scrape" Blamed for Salmonella Outbreak

Tuna scrape being called the "pink slime" of Sushi

The ground fish product known as "Tuna Scrape" is being blamed for the recent Salmonella outbreak in the U.S.

The scrape has infected 116 people and was imported from India. The tuna backmeat "is specifically scraped off from the bones, and looks like a ground product," said the US Food and Drug Administration.

The tuna scrape is reminding many of pink slime, which made news months ago after a public outcry.

The company that made pink slime halted production a month ago. The ammonia-treated concoction of ground-up beef scraps, cow connective tissues and other beef trimmings, was used to reduce the cost of serving meat options in schools. That includes burgers and other “beef” dishes.

The most common use of tuna scrape is in the popular food Sushi. Many of those who came became ill reported eating raw tuna in sushi as "spicy tuna," the FDA said, adding that illnesses had been tracked to 20 states and had caused 12 hospitalizations but no deaths.

The backmeat, Nakaochi Scrape, was sold to supermarkets and restaurants.

The distributor has recalled 58,828 pounds of the meat.

[ALSO READ: Company Halts Pink Slime Production]