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Canned Chili Botulism Recall

URGENT BOTULISM RECALL INFORMATION: The law firm of Pritzker | Ruohonoen has been contacted by someone who may have become ill after eating some of the recalled chili listed below. The firm is currently investigating this recall and an associated botulism outbreak linked to hot dog chili sauce. (Read about the hot dog chili sauce outbreak, recall and possible lawsuit.) If you or a family has been diagnosed with botulism, please call Pritzker | Ruohonen toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form. Pritzker | Ruohonhen, a nationally-recognized foodborne illness law firm, has been interviewed by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other publications. Lawyers Fred Pritzker and Rich Ruohonen have been, once again, named “Super Lawyers” by their state’s Law & Politics magazine. Pritzker | Ruohonen represents food poisoning victims throughout the United States.

Below is the USDA-FSIS announcement regarding chili and other products recalled due to possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism. All of the products were manufactured by Castleberry’s Food Company (owned by Bumble Bee Foods, LLC.) The affected brands include: Austex, Best Yet, Big Y, Black Rock, Bryan, Bunker Hill, Castle, Castelberry’s, Cattle Drive, Firefighter, Food Club, Georgia, Great Value (sold at Wal-Mart), Kroger, Lowes, Meijer, Morton House, Paramount, Piggly Wiggly, Prudence, Southern Home, Steak N Shake, Thrifty Maid, Triple Bar, and Value Time.

Georgia Firm Expands Recall of Canned Meat Products That May Contain Clostridium botulinum
July 21, 2007 - Castleberry's Food Company, an Augusta, Ga., establishment owned by Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, has voluntarily recalled canned meat products that may contain Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism, a life-threatening illness.

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 by" 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. [If someone has eaten any of the recalled product, DO NOT THROW AWAY OR RETURN THE PRODUCT until you are sure no one has become sickened by it. The leftover product may be evidence.]

The following products are subject to 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" (sold at Wal-Mart).
• 15-ounce cans of "Great Value Hot Chili with Beans" (sold at Wal-Mart).
• 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 led to a recall by FDA of meatless hotdog chili sauce. That recall was also being expanded to include all meatless products produced at the plant that might still be in commerce.

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

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