Food Poisoning Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Food Poison Blog

The California Department of Public Health announced today that Olivier brand Parmesan & Asiago Dip with Garlic & Basil was being recalled by Olivier Olive Oil Products, Inc. of Saint Helena, California, due to potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism.  The dip was distributed to Williams-Sonoma retail stores nationwide and to Olivier Napa Valley retail stores in Truckee and St. Helena, California. 

The product was distributed to William-Sonoma retail stores nationwide and to Olivier Napa Valley retail stores located in Truckee and St. Helena, California.

The lot codes on the jars of dip being recalled include:

• OPA 34171
• OPA 23471
• OAP 17271
• OAP 17671
• OAP 36061
• OAP 36161
• OPA 33961

Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum is the name of a group of bacteria commonly found in soil. The bacteria are anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming rods that produce a potent neurotoxin. These rod-shaped organisms grow best in low oxygen conditions. The bacteria form spores that allow them to survive in a dormant state until exposed to conditions that can support their growth. The organism and its spores are widely distributed in nature. They occur in both cultivated and forest soils, bottom sediment of streams, lakes, and coastal waters, in the intestinal tracts of fish and mammals, and in the gills and viscera of crabs and other shellfish.

Foodborne 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 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 are implicated as the source of outbreaks. Sausages, meat products, canned vegetables, and seafood products have been the most frequent vehicles for foodborne botulism.

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The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that Michigan-based New Era Canning Company was recalling several cases of canned beans because they were not adequately cooked during processing.  Under-cooking of canned beans can lead to the growth of clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism. 

According to the FDA announcement, only a small number of cases of beans were distributed before the product was detected.  The products being recalled are:

• GFS brand Fancy Mexican Style Chili Beans in 6 lb. 12 oz. cans, GFS Reorder #192015, UPC 9390119201. The recall is limited to 43 cases of product with 6 cans per case of lot number 00249 5AJ6LC with a 4 digit time stamp number ranging from 2113 through 2235 printed on the end of the can after the lot number (For example: 00249 5AJ6LC 2113). Only product bearing time stamps of 2113 through 2235 are included in the recall. The canned Mexican style chili beans were distributed to Gordon Food Service foodservice customers in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin and sold through GFS Marketplace stores in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan.
  
• Kitchen brand Blue Lake Mixed Cuts Green Beans in 6 lb. 6 oz. cans. This recall is limited to 57 cases with 6 cans per case with lot number 00249 6FG5GA printed on the end of the can. (All cans of this lot are under recall). The canned green beans were not sold at retail, but were distributed to a Michigan restaurant by North Oakland Commodities.
  
• Great Value brand Dark Red Kidney Beans in 15.5 oz. cans, UPC 7874237085. This recall is limited to 12 cases with 12 cans per case with lot number 00249 CKJ6LD printed on the end of the can. (All cans of this lot are under recall). This lot of canned dark red kidney beans was sold at Wal-Mart Stores in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.
  

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Schumacher's Inn in Pennsylvania recalled its canned soups earlier this month after botulism spores were identified in a sample of the soup tested by public health officials, and a woman became ill with botulism poisoning.  The woman was hospitalized on December 19; health officials have not issued an update on her condition.

Foodborne 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 incidence of botulism 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 are implicated as the source of outbreaks. Sausages, meat products, canned vegetables, and seafood products have been the most frequent vehicles for foodborne botulism.

Symptoms of Botulism

Classic symptoms of botulism include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Infants with botulism appear lethargic, feed poorly, are constipated, and have a weak cry and poor muscle tone. These are all symptoms of the muscle paralysis caused by the bacterial toxin. If untreated, these symptoms may progress to cause paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk, and respiratory muscles. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after consuming contaminated food, but they can occur as early as 6 hours or as late as 10 days after consumption.

Botulinum toxin causes flaccid paralysis by blocking motor nerve terminals at the myoneural junction. The flaccid paralysis progresses symmetrically downward, usually starting with the eyes and face, then moving to the throat, chest, and extremities. When the diaphragm and chest muscles become fully involved, respiration is inhibited and unless the patient receives treatment in time, death from asphyxia results.

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The discovery that 1,026 cans of green beens were possibly contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism, resulted in a recall of the product last week.  The Food and Drug Administration issued a notice to consumers, which was subsequently distributed through the media.  According to MSNBC:

New Era Canning Company said it was recalling 171 cases of GFS Fancy Blue Lake Cut Green Beans with the lot code 19H7FL. Each case contained six cans in 6-pound, 5-ounce sizes.

The canned green beans were distributed to foodservice customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, a company statement said. They were sold through GFS Marketplace stores in Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

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