FDA Issues Chili Sauce Botulism Warning

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Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Public Health
Article Date: 19 Jul 2007 - 12:00 PDT

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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat certain brands of canned chili sauce because they could get botulism poisoning which can be fatal.

A couple in Indiana and two children in Texas are seriously ill in hospital after eating the affected products. This was confirmed after testing left overs in a refrigerator. They started getting ill between June 29 and July 9.

All of the affected products are made by the Castleberry Food Company in Augusta, Georgia.

According to the manufacturer, they are recalling 10 canned products due to possible contamination. All the products affected have best buy dates from April 30, 2009 through May 22, 2009. The ten products are:

Brand	Product	Can Size	UPC Barcode
Austex	Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce	10oz	30300 99533
Bunker Hill	Chili no Beans	10oz	75266 04112
Castleberry's	Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce	10oz	30300 00101
Castleberry's	Chili with Beans	15oz	30300 01015
Castleberry's	Barbecue Pork	10oz	30300 00402
Cattle Drive	Chili with Beans	15oz	30300 01515
Kroger	Hot Dog Chili Sauce	10oz	11110 83942
Meijer	Corned Beef Hash	15oz	41250 95229
Morton House	Corned Beef Hash	15oz	75266 65830
Southern Home	Corned Beef Hash	15oz	07880 15360

UPC stands for Universal Product Code. It's the number directly underneath the barcode on the product label. The best buy dates are on the can lids.

If you have bought these products or think you may have any food items or dishes made with these products throw them out, says the FDA. If the best buy date is missing you should still throw the product out.

Botulism is a rare but serious paralysing condition caused by a nerve toxin, botulin, which is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The toxin is extremely strong, just one microgram can kill. Once in the body it shuts down the nerves that control muscles that help you move and breathe.

Symptoms of botulism start from between 6 hours and 2 weeks after ingesting the toxin. They include: double and blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, feeling weak in the muscles, with the feeling moving slowly down the body, affecting first the shoulders, down the arms, thighs, calves, and so on.

Mechanical ventilation is usually applied to help patients breathe when the toxin affects the respiratory nerves.

If you have recently eaten any of these products and you are experiencing these symptoms you should immediately seek medical attention, says the FDA.

Officials from the FDA and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working with the manufacturer to try and locate the source of the contamination.

Consumers can call the FDA on: 1-888-SAFEFOOD.

The manufacturer can be contacted on: 1-888-203-8446.

The four people who are seriously ill are expected to recover.

Click here for further information and consumer advice from the CDC.

Written by: Catharine Paddock
Writer: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today