Health Alert: U. S. Issues NEW Botulism Warning. Canned green beans sold nationwide.

newsemergency.com ^ | 8/6/07 | staff

[NRA2BFree]

Warning is second nationwide in last 30 days

Product Marketed Under a Variety of Brand Names

The affected Lakeside cut green beans are sold nationwide under the following labels: Albertson's, Happy Harvest, Best Choice, Food Club, Bogopa, Valu Time, Hill Country Fare, HEB, Laura Lynn, Kroger, No Name, North Pride, Shop N Save, Shoppers Valu, Schnucks, Cub Foods, Dierbergs, Flavorite, IGA, Best Choice and Thrifty Maid.

U. S. health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain brands of French Cut Green Beans in 14.5 ounce cans manufactured by Lakeside Foods Inc, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin because the product may not have been processed adequately to eliminate the potential for botulism toxin. This warning is not related to another recent warning for botulism.

The canned green beans may cause botulism if consumed. FDA is providing this warning to make consumers aware of the possible risk of serious illness from eating these products. As of August 1, 2007, FDA had not received reports of illnesses related to the product.

The botulism toxin is very potent, and botulism is a life-threatening illness. Symptoms of botulism can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains the toxin. The symptoms may include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness that moves progressively down the body, affecting the shoulders first then descending to the upper arms, lower arms, thighs, and calves. Botulism also may cause paralysis of the breathing muscles, which can result in death unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided. Individuals who show these symptoms and who may have recently eaten the product should seek immediate medical attention.

The specific codes (top line of can code) involved are: EAA5247, EAA5257, EAA5267, EAA5277, EAB5247, EAB5257, ECA5207, ECA5217, ECA5227, ECA5297, ECB5207, ECB5217, ECB5227, ECB5307.

Consumers who have any of these products or any foods made with these products should dispose of them immediately. If the code on an affected can is missing or unreadable, consumers should throw the product out.

Lakeside Foods has informed FDA that it is voluntarily recalling all of the potentially contaminated products.

Lakeside Foods recommends that consumers with any questions or concerns about the recall should call the company at 800-466-3834 ext. 4090.

[NRA2BFree]

We seldom had these problems when we grew and packaged our own food in America. Gone are the days that the only thing we had to worry about were calories in our food....

'Ain't globalism grand? < / sarcasm >

[SengirV]

U. S. health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain brands of French Cut Green Beans in 14.5 ounce cans manufactured by Lakeside Foods Inc, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin because the product may not have been processed adequately to eliminate the potential for botulism toxin.

When did Wisconsin secede from the Union?

[Strategerist]

And in the article it indicated the green beans were grown or packaged outside the country where, exactly?

Not that how food is grown has anything whatsoever to do with botulism.

[Spruce]

Green bean hotdish with fake fired onions on top hit hardest.

[NRA2BFree]

When did Wisconsin secede from the Union?

It only seems that way. :o)

[Rb ver. 2.0]

A holiday curse.

[Billthedrill]

Actually we did have this particular one. Botulism is often found in canned meat but of the vegetables green beans are probably its most common substrate. It's a soil bacterium (C. botulinum) and you only have the problem in a can (or jar) with enough of a leak to provide just a little oxygen - a "microaerophilic" environment. That activates the spores and the resulting microorganisms product the toxin.

This has been around since people started to preserve veggies. My grandmother lost some friends to it in her childhood in Illinois in the early part of last century.

[vetvetdoug]

Hard swellers, flippers, and seam defects will be a hint that there may be some botulism in the product. Canned green beans historically with their neutral pH have been a real good source of botulism poisoning. Home canned green beans used to be a real dangerous source of botulism. Canning is actually safer today than it has ever been; catching the imperfects is also better and is why we’ve had recalls.

[Old Professer]

Great word; talking to the balcony.

[Old Professer]

“microaerophilic”

[Syncro]

I’ve been eating green beans almost every day for a month or so and will continue to do so as long as my garden keeps pumping them out.

I got a rockin’ bean stalk! And a bunch of bush beans.

[Billthedrill]

Ex lab rat. Man, that was a long time ago! I remember that young punk named Pasteur... ;-)

[camas]

C ration green beans were the first to go bad

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I am going to ask an incredibly dumb question...I understand that canned green beans are in question here...but I would like to ask (as we eat alot of green beans here—yes, the dreaded gb casserole) are frozen beans ever a botulism risk (as we have both Food Club and ShopNSave brands on hand)? Does freezing kill off botulism?

[lilylangtree]

I’m forwarding to a number of non-freepers. This needs media coverage. Luckily, I’ve checked my french-style green bean can cover.

[shield]

Boy, am I glad I stopped eating canned foods a number of yrs ago.

[Billthedrill]

Freezing doesn't kill C botulinum, but it doesn't let whatever microorganisms that are present grow. To produce the toxin they have to be respiring, which they can't do in a frozen state. Even if the beans are thawed and refrozen the conditions necessary for botulinum poisoning aren't present. Eat 'em up. Yum!

[AuntB]

Know what? It’s starting to get expensive throwing all this food out. Isn’t ANYONE in business to provide a good service/product anymore. They all way too worried about the bottom line at our expense and it’s gettin’ old!

Cheap imports..bah.

[Bernard Marx]

This has been around since people started to preserve veggies. My grandmother lost some friends to it in her childhood in Illinois in the early part of last century.

Botulism was the scourge of home canners. When I was very young visitors would often bring jars of home-canned fish, meats and vegetables as gifts to our country home. My Grandmother would accept them with smiles, compliments and great thanks. And they'd all go into the trash the minute the guests were out of sight even though compliments would flow the next time they showed up. Bottom line: it just wasn't safe to trust anyone's canning but your own.

[NRA2BFree]

Home canned green beans used to be a real dangerous source of botulism. Canning is actually safer today than it has ever been; catching the imperfects is also better and is why we’ve had recalls.

I remember my mother telling me about home canned green beans when I was a little girl. I've been canning for a few years now, but I won't try to can green beans. I'd probably be my own victim. LOL