Posted on 07/22/2007 6:33:56 AM PDT by varina davis
Georgia Processor Expands Meat Recall From Associated Press July 22, 2007 3:50 AM EDT WASHINGTON - A Georgia meat processor on Saturday expanded its recall of canned meat products that may be connected to a botulism outbreak.
Castleberry's Food Co. of Augusta recalled more than 80 types of canned chili, beef stew, corned beef hash and other meat products in addition to the 10 brands it had recalled Thursday.
Cans of chili sauce made at the Castleberry's plant were found in the homes of an Indiana couple and two children in Texas who had been hospitalized with botulism. All four are expected to survive.
Botulism is a muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin made by a bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Such bacteria are commonly found in soil.
The Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday that an equipment malfunction may have been responsible for the contamination.
On Saturday, FSIS said the malfunctions at the Augusta processing plant may have existed longer than initially estimated.
Castleberry's, which is owned by Bumble Bee Seafoods LLC and based in San Diego, voluntarily expanded the recall.
Castleberry's senior vice president Steve Mavity said: "We believe we have isolated the issue to a situation of under-processing on one line of our production facility. As an extra precaution to the recall we announced on Wednesday, we have shut down this line altogether and are recalling all products produced on it."
Brand names of the recalled products include Austex, Best Yet, Big Y, Black Rock, Bloom, Bryan, Bunker Hill, Castleberry's, Cattle Drive, Firefighters, Food Club, Food Lion, Goldstar, Great Value, Kroger, Lowes, Meijer, Morton House, Paramount, Piggly Wiggly, Prudence, Southern Home, Steak N Shake, Thrifty Maid, Triple Bar and Value Time. The recall also includes four varieties of Natural Balance dog food.
Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Castleberry's at 1-888-203-8446.
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On the Net:
Castleberry's Food Co.: http://www.castleberrys.com/
Food Safety and Inspection Service: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
I can’t believe people actually eat this toxic crap on a good day.
Canned meat? Bleh.
“Botulin toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is often believed to be a potential bioweapon as it is so potent that it takes less than 1 microgram to kill a person, a drop could kill 100,000 people, and 1 pound of it can kill the entire human population, though contact is uncommon.
Clostridium botulinum is a soil bacterium. The spores can survive in most environments and are very hard to kill. They can survive the temperature of boiling water at sea level, thus many foods are canned with a pressurized boil that achieves an even higher temperature, sufficient to kill the spores.
Growth of the bacterium can be prevented by high acidity, high ratio of dissolved sugar, high levels of oxygen, or very low levels of moisture. For example in a low acid, canned vegetable such as green beans that are not heated hot enough to kill the spores (ie. a pressurized environment) may provide an oxygen free medium for the spores to grow and produce the toxin. On the other hand, tomatoes or tomato sauce are sufficiently acidic to prevent growth; even if the spores are present, they pose no danger to the consumer. Honey, corn syrup, and other sweeteners may contain spores but the spores cannot grow in a highly concentrated sugar solution; however, when a sweetener is diluted in the low oxygen, low acid digestive system of an infant, the spores can grow and produce toxin. As soon as infants begin eating solid food, the digestive juices become too acidic for the bacterium to grow.”
Canadian company Connors Bros. has owned Bumble Bee since 2004, IIRC.
Yeah ... any real canned chili eater eats Wolf Brand Chili!!
Is Bumble Bee on the list?
Chili and dog food made at the same plant -- and we know how carefully dog food is manufactured.
Yum, yum!
Maybe the FDA should be checking the chili for melamine, cyanuric acid and acetaminophen, while they're at it.
I got an email from Natural Balance pet foods last night. Evidently some of their canned food is involved in the recall too. We only use the kibble, so it didn’t affect us.
Castleberry is all over the south, I don’t know how far they distribute, but apparently they supply to Steak & Shakes, too! Yuk.
You can buy their canned stew in the Pacific Nortwest.
En zo, a question ~ howzit that Wal-Mart knew all about this and pulled these products in many markets 3 months ago?
The ignorance of todays consumers is staggering.
Even at 8 years old my mother had taught me how to avoid poorly prepared and or canned foods.
Georgia Firm Recalls Canned Meat Products That May Contain Clostridium botulinum
Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-033-2007 HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Amanda Eamich
WASHINGTON, July 19, 2007 - Castleberry’s Food Company, an Augusta, Ga., establishment owned by Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, is voluntarily recalling approximately 721,389 pounds of canned meat products that may contain Clostridium botulinum as a result of an equipment malfunction, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels | PDF Document, 1.2MB]
10-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s BUNKER HILL, ORIGINAL Chili NO BEANS.” Each label bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can is stamped with a “best by” date of “5/22/2009.”
15-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s CHILI WITH BEANS.” Each label bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can is stamped with a “best by” date of “5/17/2009.”
10-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s HICKORY SMOKED, OVEN ROASTED, WITH SKINS, BARBECUE PORK IN BARBECUE SAUCE.” Each label bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can is stamped with a “best by” date of “5/17/2009.”
15-ounce cans of “Cattle Drive CHILI WITH BEANS.” Each label bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can is stamped with a “best by” date of “4/30/2009,” “5/10/2009” or “5/21/2009.”
15-ounce cans of “Meijer CORNED BEEF HASH.” Each label bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can is stamped a “best by” date of “5/3/2009.”
15-ounce cans of “MORTON HOUSE Corned Beef Hash.” Each label bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can is stamped with a “best by” date of “5/3/2009.”
15-ounce cans of “SOUTHERN HOME CORNED BEEF HASH.” Each label bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can is stamped with a “best by” date of “5/3/2009.”
The canned meat products were produced between April 30 and May 22, 2007 and were distributed to retail establishments in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
The problem regarding the equipment malfunction was discovered during an investigation into illnesses in Indiana and Texas. The investigation led to a recall by the Food and Drug Administration of three types of meatless hotdog chili sauce. There have been no reports of illness from consumption of the products listed in this news release.
Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin. Symptoms of botulism include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. The illness can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and death. Symptoms usually occur from 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.
Consumers with questions about the recall should contact company Consumer Hotline at (888) 203-8446. Media with questions about the recall should contact the company public affairs representative Della Sweetman at (619) 200-0436 or Doug McGraw at (212) 453-2202.
Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
This is a Class 1 Recall.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_033_2007_expanded/index.asp
According to the Dept of Agriculture, a Class 1 Recall is described as: (scroll to bottom of above link)
This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.
I know. That’s why I posted the FDA recall site. Thanks.
Yikes, I have Bumble Bee tuna fish in the pantry. I wonder if it’s in the recall, or will be. I think I’ll refrain from eating it until I know it’s all clear. It’s becoming evident that we’re running out of safe food sources. I wonder if they canned food sent in from China.
Why do I have this sneaking feeling that the “botulism” is an FDA cover-up reason for more tainted Chinese ingredients!!!!
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