Castleberry's Recalls Chili, Other Products

Citing a continuing threat to public health, the Montgomery County Health Department is urging retailers, food service operations, food banks, charitable organizations and consumers to be diligent in identifying and discarding canned food products subject to the recent national recall by Castleberry’s Food Company.

Castleberry’s instituted a recall on canned chili products on July 18 due to the risk of a toxin which can cause botulism, a potentially life-threatening illness. The company broadened the scope of its recall on July 21 and has temporarily ceased production in its Augusta, Ga. Plant, where it is suspected that there was a processing problem on one of the facility’s canning lines, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Jan Chamness, Montgomery County public health director, said while she is sure that major retailers that serve the Montgomery County area know about the recall and have taken proper steps to remove the recalled products from their shelves, there is still concern that some retail outlets, especially smaller independent and convenience stores, may still have recalled products available for sale. “Because of this concern, we are trying to get information out to retailers and consumers warning them not to sell, open or consume these products,” Chamness said.

Chamness said it is especially important for people to check their home pantry and emergency food supplies to make sure they have removed all recalled products. “It is also important for food pantrys and other food service operations, like daycares, senior citizens centers, etc., to check their pantrys to make sure the food has been removed,” Chamness added.

Chamness said that the company and the government did an adequate job of informing the public about the recall, however, she added that she is afraid that the message about the recall just isn’t getting out to everyone. “We rely so much on the Internet these days to give detailed information, like information about the exact brands or products that have been recalled, and we forget that a segment of our population still does not have access to the Internet or simply chooses not to use it as their source of news and information.”

The Castleberry’s Food Company’s website contains a list of products that have been recalled, as does the FDA website. The list includes not only the Castleberry’s brand but also products branded under the names Food Lion, Goldstar, Kroger, Meijer, Morton House, Paramount, Piggly Wiggly, Thrifty Maid and Triple Bar Ranch. Also included in the recall were pet foods labeled under the Natural Balance brand.

The recalls came about after four suspected cases of foodborne botulism, two in Texas and two in Indiana, were reported to the CDC in early July. Investigations conducted by state and local health departments in those areas revealed that all four patients had eaten brands of Castleberry’s hot dog chili sauce before illness began. Other cases of  botulism potentially linked to one of the recalled products are under investigation in California and Hawaii.

In the meantime, the FDA has warned people not to eat certain brands of French cut green beans in 14.5-ounce cans made by Lakeside Foods because the product may not have been processed adequately to eliminate the potential for botulism toxin. In a news release, the FDA states that the canned green beans may cause botulism if eaten. However, as of Aug. 1, 2007, the FDA had not received any reports of illness related to the product and Lakeside Foods reports no signs of botulism in any of the cans it has tested. The green beans were sold under such labels as Best Choice, Valu Time, Kroger, IGA, Thrifty Maid and others.

The botulism toxin is very potent, and botulism is a life-threatening illness. Any food that may be contaminated with the toxin should be discarded using extreme care. Even a tiny amount of it that is eaten, inhaled or absorbed through a break in the skin or the eye can cause serious illness.

     Chamness said the health department is taking precautions to make sure the recalled products have been removed from the shelves of local retailers. “We certainly don’t want to scare people, but this is a very serious food-borne illness and we don’t want to see anybody in our community get sick in this way,” she said. Chamness said the FDA is recommending that if people find these products in their home pantry, they should dispose of food by double bagging the cans and then placing these bags in a trash can for non-recyclable trash outside the home and out of reach of humans and pets. Food should not be discarded in a sink, garbage disposal or toilet.

FDA also warns that if any of the cans are swollen, bulging or leaking, the consumer should put on gloves and eye protection before double bagging and disposing of the cans. After disposing of the bags, people should slowly remove gloves and dispose of them and wash their hands with soap and running water for at least two minutes.

Symptoms of botulism can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains the toxin. Botulism 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 paralyze the breathing muscles, which can result in death unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided. The health department advises people who show these symptoms and who may have recently eaten any of these chili products to seek immediate medical attention.

For a complete list of recalled green beans and chili products, visit the FDA website at www.fda.gov or call the Montgomery County Health Department at 498-3808.