Botulism Scare Prompts Voluntary Castleberry Recall

Castleberry’s is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate possible contamination of these products with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause botulism – a life-threatening illness.

Castleberry’s Food Company announced Monday that it is voluntarily recalling the following products: 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) and Bunker Hill Chili No Beans, 10-ounce can (UPC 7526604112).

Botulism can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

This recall only affects the products listed above with a “best by” date of April 20, 2009, through May 22, 2009. The “best by” date can be found either on the top or bottom of the can.

Consumers who have any of these products should discard them. Consumers should not use these products even if they do not look or smell spoiled. Consumers may return the label to the location where the product was purchased for a full refund.

Castleberry’s was notified by the FDA of four potential cases of botulism involving individuals who ate these products.

“We are taking this precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our consumers,” said Steve Mavity, senior vice president of Technical Services/Quality Assurance for Castleberry’s. “We will continue to work closely with the FDA, USDA and CDC.”

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration