U.S.: Botulism warning: commerical chili, TX - PA - CO - WA

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Two items on a critical recall alert: Botulism in a commercial chili, distributed to Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Washington state.

First item via URL: http://www.tdh.state.tx.us

TDH [Texas Department of Health] News Release

September 2, 2001

Botulism Link Prompts TDH to Warn Consumers Not to Eat Sheriff Blaylock's Chili

Laboratory tests by the Texas Department of Health (TDH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have linked an outbreak of botulism in Sanger, north of Denton, to Sheriff Blaylock's brand chili purchased at Town Talk Salvage in Fort Worth.

TDH officials say until further notice no one should eat Sheriff Blaylock's chili regardless of where it was purchased and that no one should eat any brand of chili purchased from Town Talk Salvage. Officials have not determined how or where the chili became contaminated.

Anyone who has eaten Sheriff Blaylock's chili or any chili from the outlet who experiences symptoms of botulism should seek immediate medical care.

Symptoms of botulism, a bacterial illness, can include vomiting, nausea, upset stomach, blurred vision, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing or speaking, general weakness and shortness of breath. The illness can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and death.

Symptoms usually occur from six hours to 10 days after eating contaminated food.

Six persons who ate food prepared for a dinner after an Aug. 25 choral practice at the Temple Church of God and Christ in Sanger are hospitalized with botulism. Others at the event apparently became ill but had milder symptoms.

People who have quantities of the suspect chili on hand should keep it frozen and contact their local health department or the nearest TDH regional office for instructions.

TDH, FDA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service and local health departments are continuing to investigate.

The USDA is issuing a recall of Sheriff Blaylock's chili marked with lot number 20861 and may expand the recall to other lot numbers as more information becomes available.

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(For more information contact Doug McBride, TDH Public Information Officer at 512-458-7524 or pager 1-877-813-7943.)

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Second item: USDA recall notice, mentioning all states that received this product, via URL: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/recalls/rec_actv.htm

*RECALL NOTIFICATION REPORT*

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE -- FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

PRODUCTS RECALLED: Chili

PRODUCTION DATES/IDENTIFYING CODES: Produced March 27, 2001, packaged in 5 - LB tubs. The tub lids are marked with a "SHERIFF BLAYLOCK'S BEST CHILI" with "PRODUCT CODE 500," and each lid bears the establishment number "EST. 13516" inside the USDA mark of inspection. Packaging code number "10861" or "20861" is stamped on the body of each tub.

PROBLEM/REASON FOR RECALL: The product may be contaminated with botulinum toxin.

HOW/WHEN DISCOVERED: In response to an outbreak / illnesses in the State of Texas, an intact sample of the above-mentioned product was collected on August 30, 2001, and the analysis confirmed the presence of botulinum toxin on September 02, 2001, FSIS is continuing its investigation. FEDERAL ESTABLISHMENT: 13516 M Classic Food, LP 629 Mony St. Ft. Worth, TX 76102

CONSUMER CONTACT: Jeff Osburn, VP of Operations, 800-422-4454

MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Osburn, VP of Operations, 800-422-4454

QUANTITY RECALLED: Approximately 15,000 pounds

DISTRIBUTION: Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington

RECALL CLASSIFICATION: Class I

RECALL NOTIFICATION LEVEL: Consumer / User

PRESS RELEASE: Yes

DIRECT NOTIFICATION MEANS: The firm has notified its customers orally and will follow-up in writing.

FSIS FOLLOWUP ACTIVITIES: Effectiveness checks by the FSIS, District Enforcement Operations.

OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED: None

FSIS CONTACTS: Compliance/Recall Coordinator: 202-418-8874 Recall Management: 202-690-6389 Media Inquiries: 202-720-9113 Congressional Inquiries: 202-720-3897 Consumer Inquiries: 1-800-535-4555 Web site: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/recalls/rec_intr.htm

DATE OF RECALL MEETING: September 03, 2001

RECALL CASE NUMBER: 048-2001



-- Andre Weltman (aweltman@state.pa.us), September 04, 2001

Answers

via URL: http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/news/b_link3.htm

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[Texas Dept of Health] News Release

September 4, 2001

TDH Takes Action Against Fort Worth Store in Botulism Investigation

Texas Department of Health (TDH) officials intensified efforts to control a botulism outbreak by detaining all products at Town Talk, a Fort Worth discount foods store, early today after learning that a second brand of frozen chili purchased at the store was suspected in the hospitalization late Monday of a Tarrant County resident with symptoms of the foodborne illness.

TDH officials said the patient had eaten chili labeled "Texas Chili Company, One-Step, Heat and Eat", purchased Aug. 24 at the Town Talk store at Beach and 1st Streets in Fort Worth. They warned people not to eat any brand of chili from Town Talk.

The TDH detainment means no products can be sold or removed from the store. The early morning action was taken pending a decision later today on an emergency order to totally shut down the store.

State, federal and local public health officials have been investigating an outbreak of botulism that had caused six persons from the Sanger area to be hospitalized after they ate chili purchased from Town Talk for an Aug. 25 meal served after a choral practice at a Sanger church. TDH officials learned late Monday that a seventh person connected to the Sanger event also has been hospitalized.

Health officials said the Tarrant County resident who was hospitalized is not connected to the Sanger event. Since Aug. 28, eight persons in North Texas -- three children and five adults -- have been hospitalized with botulism symptoms.

Health officials earlier had associated the Sanger illnesses with Sheriff Blaylock's Best Chili, manufactured by Classic Foods of Fort Worth, after laboratory tests found high levels of botulism- causing toxins in an unopened container of the chili purchased at the Town Talk store for the Sanger church gathering. Laboratory tests are pending on the Texas Chili Company brand chili, manufactured by First Original Texas Chili Company, Inc., also of Fort Worth.

"At this point in our investigation, we don't know for sure where or how contamination took place," said TDH regional director James Zoretic, M.D., Arlington. "But we have enough questions about Town Talk's operation to detain their products. And to protect the public's health, we have to warn people not to eat Sheriff Blaylock's or Texas Chili Company chili and not to eat any brand of chili from Town Talk, until we know more."

Symptoms of botulism, a bacterial illness, can include vomiting, nausea, upset stomach, blurred vision, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing or speaking, general weakness and shortness of breath. Symptoms can occur from six hours to 10 days after eating contaminated food. Botulism can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and death.

Anyone who has eaten either of the two brands of chili -- or any brand of chili purchased from Town Talk -- and experiences symptoms of botulism should seek immediate medical care.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a recall of two package codes -- 10861 and 20861 -- of the Sheriff Blaylock's brand chili. No decision had been made early today about a recall of the Texas Chili Company brand.

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(For more information contact James Zoretic, M.D., TDH Regional Director, Arlington, at 817- 264-4502; or Doug McBride, TDH Public Information Officer, Austin, at 512-458-7524.)

-- Andre Weltman (aweltman@state.pa.us), September 05, 2001.


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