More Canned Meat Products Added to Botulism Alert by Castleberry’s Food

July 23, 2007 – Last week a “Senior Alert” in SeniorJournal.com notified senior citizens of an FDA recall of three chili sauce products distributed by Castleberry's Food Company, and the company's recall of seven additional products. The company has now expanding its July 19 recall of canned meat products that may contain Clostridium botulinum that causes botulism -a rare but serious paralytic illness. The Centers for Disease Control has also joined the investigation.

All recalled Castleberry’s products here from combining FDA, USDA and company recalls

July 25, 2007

Senior Citizens, Others Warned of Botulism Risk in Hot Dog Chili Sauce

Chili sauce, chili with beans, corned beef hash under several brands recalled after FDA alert

July 19, 2007

Read more Senior Citizen Alerts

The company has now added 80 types of canned meat products to the 10 it recalled last week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The recall is being expanded after information gathered by the Food and Drug Administration 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 are included in the 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."

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 originally led to a recall by FDA of three types of meatless hotdog chili sauce. That recall is also being expanded to include all meatless products produced at the plant that might still be in commerce. There have been no reports of illness from consumption of the new 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 who is experiencing any of these symptoms should contact a physician.

Castleberry's Food Company is an Augusta, Ga., establishment owned by Bumble Bee Foods, LLC.

Centers for Disease Control Joins the Investigation

The Centers for Disease Control has also joined Indiana and Texas, in investigating the outbreak of botulism associated with canned hot dog chili sauce manufactured by Castleberry’s Food Company. Foodborne botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by consuming foods that contain botulinum toxin, a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

Due to possible contamination with botulinum toxin, CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) are advising persons not to eat certain canned food products manufactured by Castleberry’s Food Company. These include certain Castleberry’s brands as well as products distributed under other brand names. The recall includes some canned dog food. A listing of the recalled products can be found at the following websites:

> http://www.castleberrys.com/news_productrecall.asp (for all products)

> http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html (for FDA-regulated products)

> http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/index.asp (for UDSA-regulated products)

Other foods that should be discarded are those recalled products with missing or unreadable “best by” dates; foods that may have been prepared with a recalled product; and canned chili sauce, chili, beef stew, hash, corned beef hash, barbecue pork, barbecue beef, chip beef, Brunswick stew, sausage gravy or canned dog food of an unknown brand.

As of July 21, 2007, four cases of botulism have been reported to CDC from Indiana (2 cases) and Texas (2 cases). Onset dates range from June 29 to July 9, 2007. All four persons were reported to have consumed Castleberry’s brand Hot Dog Chili Sauce Original. Botulinum toxin was identified in leftover chili sauce from an unlabeled sealable bag collected from a patient’s refrigerator.

CDC OutbreakNet (the network of epidemiologists and other public health officials, facilitated by CDC, who investigate outbreaks of foodborne, waterborne, and other enteric illnesses nationwide) staff shared this information with colleagues at the FDA. After being informed about the outbreak by the FDA, the company that manufactures the Castleberry’s brand Hot Dog Chili Sauce and other products issued a voluntary recall on July 18, 2007. The recall was expanded on July 21.

Persons with signs or symptoms of botulism who have eaten Castleberry’s brand Hot Dog Chili Sauce or any of the other recalled products are advised to immediately contact their health care provider. These include new onset of double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, or muscle weakness. If untreated, the illness may progress from head to toe, with paralysis of the face, arms, breathing muscles, trunk, and legs. Symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as 6 hours or as late as 10 days. Health care providers evaluating persons with signs of botulism should contact their State health department immediately. CDC provides 24/7 consultation on botulism to State health departments.

Advice to Consumers from CDC

> Castleberry's Product Recall Information

> July 21: FDA Consumer Warning

> July 18: FDA Consumer Warning

> FSIS Recall: Product Labels

> Questions and Answers Related to this Outbreak

> More information about Clostridium botulinum

For additional information about botulism, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site at www.cdc.gov/botulism/botulism.htm.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact company's 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.

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