Botulism Found in Hot Dog Chili

Castleberry’s Food Company has just issued a voluntary recall, on the heels of FDA warnings that their Hot Dog Chili Sauce could have ingredients in it that were not planned. The FDA is warning that four people have been hospitalized with botulism poisoning. Although the contamination of botulism in canned foods is extremely rare, it can be deadly.

Botulism attacks proteins in the nerve endings of humans and destroys them. The damage to the nerves is permanent and irreversible. The nerves that are most attacked are those that stimulate muscle cells and can cause, among other problems, paralysis of muscles. Symptoms include: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness.

The product in question is the 10-ounce cans of Castleberry’s, Austex, and Kroger brands of the Hot Dog Chili Sauce. The “best buy” dates applicable to the recall are those cans dated: 4/30/09 through 5/22/09.

The victims include two children in Texas and two adults in Indiana. Although the injured victims were seriously ill, all are expected to survive.