I have been posting about botulism over the last four months on www.foodpoisonblog.com:

Foodborne botulism (as distinct from wound botulism and infant botulism) is a severe type of food poisoning caused by the ingestion of foods containing the potent neurotoxin formed during growth of the organism. The toxin is heat labile and can be destroyed if heated at 80°C for 10 minutes or longer. The incidence of the disease is low, but the disease is of considerable concern because of its high mortality rate if not treated immediately and properly. Most of the 10 to 30 outbreaks that are reported annually in the United States are associated with inadequately processed, home-canned foods, but occasionally commercially produced foods have been involved in outbreaks. Sausages, meat products, canned vegetables and seafood products have been the most frequent vehicles for human botulism.

FDA Expands Its Warning about the Risk of Botulism Poisoning From Certain Castleberry Food Products and Dog Food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding its warning to consumers. This expansion is for consumers and pet owners regarding canned food products and dog food produced by Castleberry Food Company of Augusta, Ga., due to the risk of botulinum toxin. Castleberry is expanding the recall to include all of the following canned products with all “best by” and code dates, and FDA is warning consumers not to purchase or eat any of the canned products listed in the table below.  The agency is expanding its warning based in part on FDA test results and information obtained during a joint FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection of the Castleberry’s facility in Augusta, Ga.

Georgia Firm Expands Recall of Canned Meat Products That May Contain Clostridium botulinum

Castleberry’s Food Company, an Augusta, Ga., establishment owned by Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, is expanding its July 19 recall of canned meat products that may contain Clostridium botulinum, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The recall is being expanded after information gathered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and FSIS indicated that processing malfunctions at the establishment have existed longer than initially estimated. For that reason, Castleberry’s has agreed to recall all of the following products that may still be in commerce, regardless of the “best buy” date stamped on the bottom of the can. Consumers who have any of the products listed are urged not to eat them, but rather return or dispose of them.

The following products listed below are subject to recall.  Each can label or can end bears the establishment number “EST. 195” inside the USDA seal of inspection. The canned meat products were distributed nationwide. The problem was discovered during an investigation into illnesses in Indiana and Texas. The investigation led to a recall by FDA of three types of meatless hotdog chili sauce.


FDA RECALL

Austex Onion Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Castleberry’s Onion Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Bunker Hill Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Meijer Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Food Lion Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Bloom Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Thrifty Maid Hot Dog Chili Sauce
Irish Stew with Beef Dog Food
Chinese Take Out with Sauce with Vegetables and Chicken Dog Food
Southern Style Dumplings with Gravy with Chicken and Vegetables
Dog Food
Hobo Chili with Chicken Pasta Dog Food

USDA RECALL

* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Austex Beef Stew.”
* 15- and 19-ounce cans of “Austex Chili with Beans.”
* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Austex Chili No Beans.”
* 12-pack of 19-ounce cans of “Austex Chili No Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Best Yet Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Best Yet Corned Beef Hash.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Big Y Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Big Y Chili no Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Big Y Corned Beef Hash.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Black Rock Chili with Beans.”
* 24-pack of 10-ounce cans of “Bryan Hot Dog Chili Sauce.”
* 24-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Bryan Corned Beef Hash.”
* 24-pack of 10-ounce cans of “Bryan Chili No Beans.”
* 24-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Bryan Chili No Beans.”
* 24-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Bryan Chili with Beans.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Bunker Hill Chili no Beans.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Bunker Hill Chunky Chili no Beans.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Castle Chili No Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s Beef Stew.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s Brunswick Stew.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s BUNKER HILL, ORIGINAL Chili NO BEANS.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s CHILI WITH BEANS.”
* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s Chili No Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s Corned Beef Hash.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s HICKORY SMOKED, OVEN ROASTED, WITH SKINS, BARBECUE PORK IN BARBECUE SAUCE.”
* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s Hot Chili with Beans.”
* 10- and 14.5-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s BBQ Pork.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s Sausage Gravy.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Castleberry’s Chip Beef Gravy.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Cattle Drive Beef Stew.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Cattle Drive Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Cattle Drive Chili no Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Cattle Drive CHILI WITH BEANS.”
* 8-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Cattle Drive Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Cattle Drive Chicken Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Firefighter Chicken Chili.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Firefighter Chicken Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Firefighter Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Firefighter Chili no Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Food Club Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Food Club Corned Beef Hash.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Georgia Hash.”
* 10- and 15-ounce cans of “Goldstar Chili.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Goldstar Tex Mex Chili.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Great Value Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Great Value Hot Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Kroger Beef Stew.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Kroger Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Kroger Chili no Bean.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Lowes Chili no Bean.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Lowes Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Lowes Corn Beef Hash.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Meijer Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Meijer Chili no Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Meijer CORNED BEEF HASH.”
* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Morton House Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Morton House Corned Beef Hash.”
* 10- and 15-ounce cans of “Paramount Hot Dog Chili Sauce.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Paramount Chili no Bean.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Paramount Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Piggly Wiggly Chili with Beans.”
* 10- and 15-ounce cans of “Piggly Wiggly Chili no Bean.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Piggly Wiggly Corned Beef Hash.”
* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Prudence Corned Beef Hash.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Southern Home Chili with Beans.”
* 10- and 15-ounce cans of “Southern Home Chili no Bean.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Southern Home Corned Beef Hash.”
* 10-ounce cans of “Steak N Shake Chili.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Thrifty Maid Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Thrifty Maid Corned Beef Hash.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Triple Bar Chili with Beans.”
* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Triple Bar Chili with Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Triple Bar Chili no Beans.”
* 12-pack of 15-ounce cans of “Triple Bar Chili no Beans.”
* 15-ounce cans of “Value Time Chili with Beans.”