Canadian Botulism Attack

ProMed | 11/15/01

[atafak]

Date:  14 Nov 2001 18:58
From: ProMED-mail 
Source:  Canada NewsWire via COMTEX, Wed 14 Nov 2001 6:58 PM EST [edited]


WARNING - HEALTH HAZARD ALERT - Green House brand canned organic beans may 
contain dangerous bacteria.
----------------------------------
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to
consume 9 varieties of Green House brand canned organic bean products. It
is possible that the products contain the bacteria responsible for botulism
in humans. Botulism is a life-threatening illness caused by toxins produced
by _Clostridium botulinum_ bacteria.

The products are sold in 398-ml cans and are identifiable by codes ending 
with S224 or S356 on one end of the can. They include:

Green Lentils, UPC code 7 74314 88843 1,
Chick Peas, UPC code 7 74314 88862 2,
White Kidney Beans, UPC code 7 74314 88841 7,
Beans Salad, UPC code 7 74314 88842 4,
Lima Beans, UPC code 7 74314 88860 8,
Pinto Beans,  UPC code 7 74314 88845 5,
Red Kidney Beans, UPC code 7 74314 88857 8,
Red Kidney Beans in Tomato Sauce, UPC code 7 74314 88844 8, and
Red Kidney Beans in Tomato Sauce (Spicy),  UPC code 7 74314 88859 2.

These bean products, manufactured by Lockwoods, Italy, for (GH) Green House 
Organic Food Products, Concord, Ontario, are known to have been distributed 
in Ontario and may have been distributed nationally.

Food contaminated with _C. botulinum_ may not look or smell spoiled. 
Consumers should dispose of remaining product immediately. The products 
should not be consumed by humans or animals. There have been no reported 
illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at one of 
the following numbers:

In the province of Quebec 1-800-561-3350; or

In other provinces and territories 1-800-442-2342.

[Born to Conserve]

Ahhh, just cook it.

[blam]

Where in the article does it mention 'Attack?'

[John H K]

What, you can get sick from something other than from bioterrorism?

Next thing you'll be insinuating something silly like a plane can crash from mechanical failure.

[Hank Kerchief]

Cooking does not eliminate the botulism toxins that are already produced. You can die from food with the toxin however long you cook it.

Hank

[nunya bidness]

Food tampering? Maybe.

Timing is everything.

[dmcnash]

Clostridium botulinum is a bacteria found in soil. It is not uncommon for improperly canned beans or vegatables (esp. Jalopenio peppers) to show growth of this anerobic bacteria as evidenced by the expansion of the can from the gas produced. Botox is a protein so it is deactivated (actually denatured) by sufficient heat but who would open such a can and eat the obviously foul and rotten contents?
Why do so many folks see a terrorist plot behind everything?

[lmr]

Basic Home-economics. Botulism has been present in canned goods forever. Puffy cans are a good indicator. I learned this in junior high home-ec. How is this an attack?

[nunya bidness]

I understand the nature of botox. My assertion was that during these days of heightened alert any anomoly should be addressed.

Travis and I have discussed the terror ramp up and food tampering made the cut. Nothing more. Nothing less.

[atafak]

It was four weeks ago that the odd Egyptian character was found in a container on a ship headed from southern Italy to Canada. The trip to Canada was to take three weeks, and it was assumed that the man was planning to ride the container to there. But the ship had been laying in port for the previous five days, and being on board during that period may have been his purpose, as he had an airline ticket from Rome to Canada.

The canned goods in the botulism warning came from Italy. It would be interesting to know which ship they came on.

[nunya bidness]

Right you are. I heard the story on NPR and it was told by a gal from an Italian paper called La Republica.

I haven't been able to track it down on the web. Do you have a link?

[atafak]

Several threads on it here at FR. Do a search on "container". That should bring up a couple of them.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Born to Conserve]

Cooking does not eliminate the botulism toxins that are already produced. You can die from food with the toxin however long you cook it.

Did someone tell you that, or did you just make it up?

With 15 seconds of searching on the web, I found this on the merck manual website:

"The toxins.... are readily destroyed by heat; therefore, cooking food at 176° F. for 30 minutes prevents foodborne botulism."

[OWK]

Actually, there are some toxins that are more hardy than others, but for the most part you are correct. They are broken down by prolonged exposure to heat.

It is the spores which somtimes survive heat sterilization methods (and their resultant growth in the can that causes the accumulation of toxins).

Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend not even opening cans which one suspects might be contaminated with clostridium botulinum (not to mention consuming the products contained therein)