The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has linked Castleberry Hot Dog Chili Sauces to at least four cases of botulism poisoning in Texas and Indiana. The CDC said that all four victims ate the chili sauce. The chili sauce is sold in 10 ounce cans under the brand names Castleberry’s, Kroger and Austex’s. Botulism is a rare disease, with fewer than 30 cases reported each year. Nearly all of these cases are related to home canning. The Castleberry outbreak is the first to be linked to commercial canning in more than 40 years.
The affected products were produced at the Augusta factory between April 30 and May 22, 2007 on a cooker that had malfunctioned. To guard against the formation of botulism toxin, canned foods are heated during processing to kill the bacteria. The cooker at the Castleberry factory was dropping cans into cool water while they were still hot. The company says it followed procedures to check the products before they left the factory.
Castleberry Recalls Chili Sauces, Other Products
On July 18, 2007, the Castleberry’s Food Company voluntary recalled a total of 10 products manufactured at the Augusta factory from April 30 through May 22, 2007. The recalled products include Castleberry’s, Kroger and Austex’s Hot Dog Chili Sauces; corned beef hash under the brand names Morton House, Southern Home and Meijer; chili with beans under the brands Castle Drive and Castleberry’s; as well as Bunker Hill Chili with No Beans and Castleberry’s Barbecue Pork. All products have “best-by” dates of April 30, 2009 and May 22, 2009. Consumers have been advised to throw away the affected products, as well as any foods prepared with these items.
Botulism Poisoning Symptoms
Botulism poisoning is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Blurred vision,
- Drooping eyelids
- Muscle weakness
- Slurred speech
- Difficulty swallowing.
Botulism can cause paralysis and leads to death in about eight percent of cases. If not treated properly, botulism can paralyze breathing muscles, and victims can spend months on hospital ventilators until the botulism toxin is out of their system.
Legal Help For Victims of Chili Sauce Botulism Poisoning?
Parker Waichman LLP is currently evaluating cases of botulism poisoning related to the July 18, 2007 Castleberry Hot Dog Chili Sauce recall. If you or a loved one has eaten one of the recalled Castleberry products, contact the lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP to have your case evaluated for free. Please fill out the form at the right for a free evaluation by a qualified attorney. Alternatively, call our toll-free number: 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
