Products Contaminated With Botulism
We all assume that the food we eat is safe. However that is not always true. Thousands of cans of food processed by Castleberry’s Food Company of Augusta, Georgia, are being recalled because people became sick with botulism after eating the canned food. The recall involves chili, stew, hash, gravy and even dog food. So many products are being recalled because the canning process at the plant apparently did not kill the botulism toxin causing it to grow and spread.
Botulism is a rare but potentially fatal illness caused by a poison that affects the nervous system. Symptoms generally begin within 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as ten days. Symptoms include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing or muscle weakness. If untreated, the illness may effect the entire body with paralysis of the face, arms, breathing muscles, trunk, and legs.
Products contaminated with the botulism toxin often do not look or taste any differently than safe food. If you or your loved ones ate food you suspect was contaminated, watch for the symptoms listed above for ten days after consumption; if you have any of these symptoms, get medical help immediately. If you have a can that has been recalled, handle it with extreme care – even a small amount of the toxin that is eaten or absorbed through a break in the skin can make you very ill.
For a complete list of recalled products, check out the Food and Drug Administration’s list at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/castleberry.html.
At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we would be happy to talk with you if you or a loved one has consumed a contaminated product and would like guidance as to how to protect your legal rights. For more information as to how to contact us, please click on this link. http://www.terrybryant.com/contact.php
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