Botulism Recall Of Chili Sauce And Canned Meats Expanded To 90 Items

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Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Public Health
Article Date: 26 Jul 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Castleberry's Food Company have expanded the recall of the food manufacturer's Hot Dog Chili Sauce and canned meat products to include 86 variously branded products and also four canned pet foods because of the risk of botulism, which can lead to paralysis and death if not treated quickly.

The original recall last week was for a much smaller range of products, after a couple in Indiana and two children in Texas were admitted to hospital with potentially fatal botulism from eating Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce.

No new cases of botulism have been reported, but the manufacturer is extending the recall as a precaution.

All the items, with their full brand and product name and UPC bar code number can be seen on the manufacturer's website on the page titled: "Expanded Voluntary Product Recall Information - 7/21/07".

The full list of affected canned sauce and meat products comes to 86 across the following brands (mostly 10 and 15 oz cans):

Austex (7 canned products), Best Yet (2), Big Y (3), Black Rock (1), Bloom (1), Bryan (4), Bunker Hill (3), Castleberry's (15), Cattle Drive (4), Firefighters (3), Food Club (3), Food Lion (1), Goldstar (3), Great Value (in Canada only, 2 products), Kroger (4), Lowes Foods (3), Meijer (4), Morton House (2), Paramount (4), Piggly Wiggly (4), Prudence (1), Southern Home (4), Stek 'n Shake (1), Thrifty Maid (3), Triple Bar (3), Value Time (1).

The recalled pet food cans are under the label Natural Balance (four different products in 15 oz cans).

The recall affects all the products listed, regardless of best by dates.

If you have bought any of the products on the list, regardless of the best by dates, you should throw them away, even if they look or smell OK.

Botulism is a rare but serious paralysing condition which can be fatal if not treated quickly. It is caused by botulinum toxin (sometimes called botulin), produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, and affects the nerves. Botulin is extremely strong, just one microgram can kill. Once in the body it gradually stops the nerves that control muscles for moving and breathing from sending signals, effectively shutting them down.

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

If the patient's breathing is affected, they can be helped to breathe with a mechanical ventilator.

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

If your pet has eaten any of the pet foods in the list and has similar symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Officials from the FDA and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are still 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.

Click here to read an article titled "Botulinum Toxin: A Poison That Can Heal" (FDA website).

Written by: Catharine Paddock
Copyright: Medical News Today
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