Canned Meat Recall Expanded

Ga. Processor Recalls More Than 90 Brands Of Canned Chili, Stews And Dog Food Due To Botulism

(AP)  Georgia meat processor on Saturday expanded its recall of canned meat products that may be connected to a botulism outbreak.

Castleberry's Food Co. of Augusta recalled more than 90 brands of canned chili, beef stew, corned beef hash and other meat products in addition to the 10 brands it had recalled Thursday.

Cans of chili sauce made at the Castleberry's plant were found in the homes of an Indiana couple and two children in Texas who had been hospitalized with botulism. All four are expected to survive.

Botulism is a muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin made by a bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Such bacteria are commonly found in soil.

The Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday that an equipment malfunction may have been responsible for the contamination.

On Saturday, FSIS said the malfunctions at the Augusta processing plant may have existed longer than initially estimated.

Castleberry's, which is owned by Bumble Bee Seafoods LLC and based in San Diego, voluntarily expanded the recall.

Brand names of the recalled products include Austex, Best Yet, Big Y, Black Rock, Bryan, Bunker Hill, Castle, Castleberry's, Cattle Drive, Firefighter, Food Club, Georgia, Goldstar, Great Value, Kroger, Lowes, Meijer, Morton House, Paramount, Piggly Wiggly, Prudence, Southern Home, Steak N Shake, Thrifty Maid, Triple Bar and Value Time. The recall also includes four varieties of Natural Balance dog food.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Castleberry's consumer hot line at 1-888-203-8446.

[jm_rvel]

gkc99-
The contaminated vegetation you speak off is a result from run-off and cross contamination from manure water and direct animal feces. The "dangers" of eating plants is caused by the vegtable farms close proximity to cattle raches and other flesch producing factories.

[Netterz]

Yeah, lets close down more of our safety needs, because the gov't cant afford to run them, so we can ship more money overseas to countries who could care les, and will end up attacking us lter on, for helping them. When is our gov't going to wake up and start taking care of OUR OWN? Last I heard, our national deficit was BILLIONS in the hole. Our own have no healh care, and cant afford it, our troops dont have what they need to stay safe, were eating bad food, but lets ship billions over seas!! Lets let a few more million illegals in the country and put them on welfare to while were at it. Its a free country after all, free to be brke and go with out.. what a country, that doesnt take care of its own.

[thatgirl702]

Let me start by saying that for the most part, I agree with everything that has been said here. However, does any one give consideration to the "voluntary recall" or to the fact that this particular company is taking total responsibility for the mistake? Yes, if there were safety regulations imposed by the FDA then accidents like this would be fewer but, come on, that would require them (FDA) to actually care about the American pubic.
I would suggest that any of you truly concerned with this highly important social issue to take to your congressman and get a measure put on the ballot. If enough people start pushing for change, the powers that be will have no choice but to make changes.

[omega39-2009]

Meanwhile, back in the faith based reality, they are planning on closing seven FDA labs.

[cnmbarfoot]

newster1: that ecoli came from veggies, which, by the way were also once living things. Just because they don't have big brown eyes and fur doesn't change that. I support vegans, though-more meat for us carnivores.

[zootallures2]

America is on the road to a much bigger mess up than Chenobyl. You've already topped Hitler and the Riechstag fire. All just to have the biggest home theater to show off.

[hypnotoad72]

I've to agree, re: careless processing. So much wouldn't go to waste if a sufficient level of regulation was put in. Especially in today's advanced day and age.

On the plus side, it's being recalled. So there IS some responsibility at work.

Let's not be cynical. That serves nothing. It's time to move upward and onward.

[nothappyatall]

Bet our rancher friend jimmy1955 won't have much to say about this LATEST recall of filthy contaminated canned animal flesh. This is yet another example of what's wrong with the meat industry- repeated careless processing of food as fast as possible for maximm profits.
But then again, I wouldn't expect better from people who profit off animal suffering and death any more than I'd expect compassion from the Nazis in WW2

That can of animal flesh could be your LAST meal if you get ecoli or any of the other dozen illnesses from dirty MEAT and your kidneys shut down.

[barbaraf4]

"I agree with you, jscribe58. We spend so much money on foreign aid that we neglect the health of those of us who are actually American taxpayers. OUR money should be spent to help US before we even think of supporting foreign governments and feeding people overseas."
Posted by deepperppl
~~~
I totally agree with you; however, I suspect none of the aid money we send overseas ever reaches those who need it. My favorite example is the fact that Arafat and his wife and children lived in Paris, France. Periodically, he would put on his dusty bedsheet and go out to rouse the troups. He and his family did not live in the squallor that his followers did.

[deepperppl]

I agree with you, jscribe58. We spend so much money on foreign aid that we neglect the health of those of us who are actually American taxpayers. OUR money should be spent to help US before we even think of supporting foreign governments and feeding people overseas.

[jscribe58]

It seems to me that with the scientific knowledge we now live with these days, incidences should be happening less than ever. Being afraid of what we eat or what we give our children should not be a worry in this day and age.

I'm sure that there are some who believe there are terrorist plots afoot here, but at the very least there is a breakdown in our system as to the safety of consumers. With a technology that is rich with MRI's, artificial hearts and the downloading of music into ones pocket, it would not be outrageously expensive or time consuming for food suppliers to have required equipment to test their products for hazards before they go into the cans we will be buying.

Has the greed for profit gone to the extent where the cost of testing equipment as well the the salary of a person to to the testing is beyond the scope of a profit margin? If so, then somebody is making too much money at the expense of a lot of sick people. I'm sure the cost of litigation resulting in these poisonings is going to far outweigh the cost of a system adequate for testing the products would have been to have had in place in the first place.

Whatever the need, it's time for us to once again feel safe when we open a can of food, be it for ourselves or our pets. Perhaps if our government would put near the amount of funds into guaranteeing our safety as it does into foreign aid, this could be accomplished.