Botulism toxin has a nasty habit of killing people, so it's imperative that you not eat the dip. No illnesses have been reported so far.

Here's the info:

The product was distributed to William-Sonoma retail stores nationwide and to Olivier Napa Valley retail stores located in Truckee and St. Helena, California. Olivier Parmesan & Asiago Dip with Garlic & Basil labeled with the following lot codes are affected by the recall: OPA 34171; OPA 23471; OAP 17271; OAP 17671; OAP 36061; OAP 36161; OPA 33961.

The recalled product is packaged in an 11.76 ounce jar. The lot code information is located on the side of the glass jar where there is no label.

Consumer Warning: Contaminated Dip [FDA]

(FDA) is warning consumers about a potential Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) contamination of canned cut green beans manufactured by New Era Canning Company, New Era, Mich., and labeled as "GFS Fancy Blue Lake Cut Green Beans." C. botulinum is the bacterium that causes botulism.

The bacterium produces a toxin that can result in a life-threatening illness or death. To date, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this incident.

The canned cut green beans were distributed to retailers, restaurants and foodservice institutions by Gordon Food Service, Grand Rapids, Mich., with lot code 19H7FL and UPC code 93901 11873, in large institutional-sized, 6 pound 5 ounce (#10) cans. The green beans were distributed to food service customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia and sold through GFS Marketplace stores in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

FDA Warns About Potential for Botulism in Canned Green Beans [FDA]

Who's reading us now? Stephen Colbert weighs in on a bunch of Consumerist topics with more gravitas than we can muster ourselves. Sorry we missed the whole "dentist puts boar tusks in your mouth while you're anesthetized" story. We'll try to do better next time.

Enjoy.

Comedy Central

From the Associated Press:

Eva Fountain, 61, says she shared a potentially bad can of the Castleberry's Food chili sauce with her husband and two grandchildren.

Fountain told The Sun Herald newspaper on Wednesday that she called the company and it confirmed the can she purchased at the D'Iberville Wal-Mart was part of the recall.

Fountain said that as of late Wednesday, no one in her family had shown any symptoms of botulism.

Castleberry recalled its products after four people became ill after eating their hot dog chili sauce, which Fountain also ate.
A Wal-Mart spokesman said the products have been pulled from the shelves.

Fountain said she purchased the can last week before the recall was widely publicized and left for a camping trip before she heard about the recall.

Coast woman claims she bought potentially botulism-tainted chili sauce [Hattiesburg American via Writing on the Wal]

(Photo:Stopnlook)

Why? Some of the cans may have been under processed and some may have leaked. No illnesses have been reported with these green beans, but don't eat them or even open them. Botulism is serious business.

From the FDA:

Lakeside is asking consumers who have cans of the French Style Green Beans with the following in the top line of the can code to return them unopened to the place of purchase. EAA5247, EAA5257, EAA5267, EAA5277, EAB5247, EAB5257, ECA5207, ECA5217, ECA5227, ECA5297, ECB5207, ECB5217, ECB5227 and ECB5307.

The product was distributed in the following 20 states AL, AZ CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, MS, NC, NY, OH, OK, TN, TX, VA, WI and Canada. The product was sold with the following labels: ALBERTSON'S, HAPPY HARVEST, BEST CHOICE, FOOD CLUB, BOGOPA, VALU TIME, HILL COUNTRY FARE, HEB, LAURA LYNN, KROGER, NO NAME, NORTH PRIDE, SCHNUCKS, SHOP N SAVE, SHOPPERS VALU, CUB FOODS, DIERBERGS, FLAVORITE, IGA, BEST CHOICE AND THRIFTY MAID.

Do not bring botulism cans to the supermarket!

Lakeside Foods Issues Nationwide Recall of French Style Green Beans [FDA]

How To Dispose Of Botulism Infected Cans [Centers For Disease Control]

How can you know whether your green beans are dangerous? Albertson's recently launched "consumer information center" doesn't offer any help as of Friday morning, but according to Reuters,

The recall involves Albertsons private label French Style Green Beans, 14.5 oz., with UPC number 41163412088.

Here's a list of the recalled products.

When you find a can—Don't just throw it away. Double bag it. Bacteria in the cans cause them to swell and break open and you can breathe the toxin and get sick.

Here are the symptoms of botulism.

Thanks for not dying of botulism! Dead people can't read blogs, ya know.

• Double vision


• blurred vision


• drooping eyelids


• slurred speech


• difficulty swallowing


• dry mouth


• muscle weakness

Infants with botulism appear

• lethargic


• feed poorly


• constipated


• have a weak cry


• have poor muscle tone

These are the first signs of the muscle paralysis the bacteria inflicts. Untreated, they can lead to limb paralysis, or lung paralysis, in which case you're probably going to die. Symptoms usually appear 16-36 hours later, but can show up as soon as 6 hours and as late as 10 days.

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.

Botulism FAQs [WebMD]
(Photo: Getty)

PREVIOUSLY:
Cans Infected With Botulism Are Exploding!
Mission: Find Castleberry's Products Recalled For Botulism Still On The Shelves

Why is this bad? Well, you can contract botulism from breathing the spores.

From the Boston Globe:

Spot checks by the Food and Drug Administration and state officials are turning up recalled products for sale in convenience stores, gas stations and family-run groceries.

The FDA has found recalled products for sale in roughly 250 of the more than 3,700 stores visited in nationwide checks, according to figures the agency provided to The Associated Press.

Four people have been sickened and hospitalized by the contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The recall covers potentially tens of millions of cans of food; officials fear the tally will grow.

FDA investigators believe Castleberry Food failed to properly cook some or all the products, allowing the Clostridium botulinum bacteria to survive the canning process.

The bacteria produce a toxin that causes botulism, a muscle-paralyzing disease.

"We're not talking here about a bug that lands you in the bathroom for a few days with diarrhea. We're talking about a toxin that puts you in the intensive care unit," said Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's lead food safety expert. "This is foodborne illness with an extra kick in it, big time."

Here's what you can do:

1) If you have any of the recalled products at home, double bag them and throw them away. If they explode, you could inhale botulism. You do not want this.

2) If you see any of the recalled products, please inform the store about the recall.

They're having trouble getting the word out about this recall, so tell a friend about it ask them to check their cupboards.

Castleberry's Recall Information
Botulism Disposal Instructions From The CDC
Bursting cans give new urgency to warnings about botulism [Boston Globe] (Thanks, everyone who sent this in!)

1) Next time you go shopping, look for these brands on the shelves.
2) Take a picture
3) Note time, date, location, product name and UPC barcode
4) Notify the store manager
5) Send your findings to tips@consumerist.com

Wonder if Walmarts is as good at recalling botulism cans as it is Nazi tshirts...

A complete list of recalled products is here.

Connors Bros. Shares Drop on Expanded Recall Linked to Botulism [Bloomberg]

The olives are sold under the following brands: Borrelli, Bonta di Puglia, Cento, Corrado's, Dal Raccolto, Flora, Roland and Vantia, and have codes that start with the letter "G" and are followed by 3 or 4 digits. All sizes of cans, glass jars and pouches of Cerignola, Nocerella and Castelvetrano type olives are affected.

Symptoms of botulism include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation. People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Consumers may also report illnesses associated with consumption of these olives to the nearest FDA district offices.

The olives should not be eaten alone or in other foods, even if they do not appear to be spoiled. Consumers should discard these products or return them to the point of purchase.

FDA Urgently Warns Consumers about Health Risks of Potentially Contaminated Olives [FDA]
(Photo: iwantamonkey)