Botulism Outbreak: Castleberry’s Canned Meats
Updated July 23, 2007- Castleberry's Food Co. announced that it expanded a recall of chili sauce and sundry canned meat products announced on July 18, 2007 owing to heightened risk of exposure to the botulinum toxin, the bacterium that causes botulism. Botulism is a serious, muscle-paralyzing disease and often- if left untreated - results in respiratory depression and death. Cans of chili sauce made at the Castleberry's plant were found in the homes of an Indiana couple and two children in Texas who had been hospitalized with serious food poisoning that developed into botulism. All four were expected to survive the botulism outbreak.
Castleberry's, which is owned by Bumble Bee Seafoods and based in San Diego, voluntarily expanded the recall. The recall by Castleberry's initially concerned only 10 named food products. However, Castleberry’s expanded recall involved over 80 types of chili, hash and other potentially tainted meat products. The recall includes some pet foods manufactured by Castleberry’s under the name Natural Balance Brand.
Brand names of the recalled products include Austex, Best Yet, Big Y, Black Rock, Bryan, Bunker Hill, Castle, Castleberry's, Cattle Drive, Firefighter, Food Club, Georgia, Goldstar, Great Value, Kroger, Lowes, Meijer, Morton House, Paramount, Piggly Wiggly, Prudence, Southern Home, Steak N Shake, Thrifty Maid, Triple Bar and Value Time.
Click here to visit a list of recalled items from Castleberry's Food Company.