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Consuming Some Hot Dog Chili Sauces May Lead To Botulism Poisoning |
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Written by Theresa Maher
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Saturday, 21 July 2007 |
Botulism is relatively rare in humans, but it happens to be one of the significant food-borne illnesses in man. The nerve toxin elaborated by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, has the ability to produce a fatal illness in man. That is why the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning late on Wednesday asking consumers to shun consuming some brands of hot dog chili sauce that are suspected to be contaminated by botulism bacteria.
Botulism is classically characterized by double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Although just about 110 cases are reported yearly in the US, most of them happen to be caused by contaminated food. In the present case two Texas children and an Indiana couple are already reported to be sick and presenting with botulism symptoms, the FDA said in its official release.
According to the FDA 10 ounce cans of Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce (UPC 3030000101), Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce (UPC 3030099533), and Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce (UPC 1111083942) are suspected to harbor botulism causing bacteria. The agency has asked consumers to avoid consuming these products, all of which are manufactured by the Castleberry Food Company in Augusta.
All contaminated products have “best by” dates from April 30, 2009 through May 22, 2009, it was announced.
Other products implicated are as follows:
Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce, 10-ounce can (UPC 3030000101) Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce, 10-ounce can (UPC 3030099533) Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce, 10-ounce can (UPC 1111083942) Morton House Corned Beef Hash, 15-ounce can (UPC 7526665830) Cattle Drive Chili With Beans, 15-ounce can (UPC 3030001515) Southern Home Corned Beef Hash, 15-ounce can (UPC 0788015360) Meijer Corned Beef Hash, 15-ounce can (UPC 4125095229) Castleberry's Chili With Beans, 15-ounce can (UPC 3030001015) Castleberry's Barbecue Pork, 10-ounce can (UPC 3030000402) Bunker Hill Chili No Beans, 10-ounce can (UPC 7526604112)
Botulism can be a fatal disease, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The endotoxin elaborated by the botulism bacteria can cause muscle paralysis and can also lead to a medical emergency. The last known case of botulism in the US occurred in 2006 when some lots of Bolthouse Farms Carrot Juice were thought to be contaminated.
The worst case scenario in botulism is respiratory paralysis where the breathing muscles are paralyzed requiring mechanical ventilation. Failure to support respiration can lead to death as well.
The FDA has stressed that people who have recently consumed Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce, Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce, or Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce and suspected that the same was contaminated must seek immediate medical attention.
Robert Brackett, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, urged consumers to throw away any unused cans of the sauces. "The toxin is so potent, if they get it on their hands or it sprays in their face, it could make them ill," he said.
Botulism though is a preventable disease. The CDC says that food borne botulism can be safely prevented by boiling canned foods and following hygienic procedures if consumers are canning foods at home.
Consumers who have questions or doubts regarding the present recall should go to Castleberry’s website (www.castleberrys.com) or call Castleberry’s consumer hotline at 1-888-203-8446. Consumers can also call the FDA at 1-888-723-3366.
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