Botulism Blog

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to consume any juice products or other beverages from Juices Incorporated (aka Juices International and Juices Enterprises) of Brooklyn, N.Y. The company’s carrot and beet juice products have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause botulism, a serious and potentially fatal foodborne illness. Consumers are warned not to consume these products even if they do not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism can cause the following symptoms: general weakness; dizziness; double-vision; and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these symptoms after consuming carrot or beet juice products from Juices Incorporated should seek immediate medical attention.

Although previously distributed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, Juices Incorporated products were recently found in retail establishments and restaurants in the New York City area, and consumers may have moved the products beyond this region.

The following Juices Incorporated juice products pose a particular concern for Clostridium botulinum contamination:

Carrot Juice Drink

Carrot & Beet Juice Drink

Carrot & Ginger Drink

Double Trouble Carrot Punch

Ginger Beet Juice

Beet Juice Drink

The products are packaged under the following brand names:

Juices Incorporated

Juices International

Juices Enterprises

On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint for permanent injunction against the owners of Juices Incorporated after FDA inspections revealed continuing violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, including insanitary conditions at the Juices Incorporated facility. Under a January 3, 2011 Consent Decree of Permanent Injunction (Consent Decree), the owners of Juices Incorporated are required to stop manufacturing and distributing any articles of food, including all juice products and other beverages, until they correct the food safety deficiencies and insanitary conditions at their facility.

Subsequently, on June 21, 2012, U.S. District Court Judge Sandra L. Townes for the Eastern District of New York issued an Order to Enforce Consent Decree after the owners of Juices Incorporated failed to comply with the requirements of the Consent Decree. FDA investigators recently confirmed that Juices Incorporated and its owners continue to manufacture and distribute juice products and other beverages in violation of the Consent Decree and the Court’s Order to Enforce Consent Decree.

Although Clostridium botulinum has never been found inJuices Incorporated’s juice products, FDA is concerned about the firm’s continuing production of potentially hazardous juice products despite the requirements of the Consent Decree and Order to Enforce Consent Decree. Because the company was ordered not to manufacture or distribute any food, FDA is also warning consumers not to consume other Juices Incorporated beverages, including but not limited to: Ginger Beer Drink, Agony Peanut Punch, Front End Lifter Magnum Punch, Irish Sea Moss, Cashew Punch, Sorrel Drink, Pineapple Twist, Soursop Juice, and Corn Punch.

The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act refers to unsanitary conditions as insanitary.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the smoked fish products described below because they may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Toxins produced by these bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

The following vacuum-packed products sold at Hooked stores in Toronto are affected by this alert:

These products have no label or UPC code. The product name is handwritten on the package.

These products have been sold from Hooked stores at:

- 888 Queen Street East, Toronto, and

- 206 Baldwin Street, Toronto.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with the toxin may cause nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, headache, double vision, dry throat, respiratory failure and paralysis. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

Jars of bar clams sold in P.E.I. and New Brunswick may contain the toxin that causes botulism, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has warned.

St. Thomas Fish Market in New Brunswick is voluntarily recalling its product, St. Thomas bar clams, because they may contain Clostridium botulinum.

Toxins produced by the bacteria can cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

There have been no illnesses reported, said the agency.

Food contaminated with these bacteria might not look or smell spoiled.

Symptoms include vomiting, blurred vision, slurred speech and muscle paralysis. Anyone with concerns should call their physician.

ZIP International Group LLC is recalling Dry Salted Fish (bream) because the product was found to be uneviscerated, and has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

The recalled product, Dry Salted Fish (bream) was distributed by East Coast Foods Inc. Brooklyn, NY via delivery to retail stores and wholesalers in September 2012.

The recalled product, Dry Salted Fish (bream) is packaged in vacuum sealed packaging labeled “Astrakhansky Lesh” (Dry Salted Fish Eviscerated) weight 14.2oz. Bar Code 835856001228 is located on the top right corner of the package. The recalled product, Dry Salted Fish (bream) is a product of Russia.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Dry Salted Fish(bream) was sampled by the New York State Department of Agriculture during inspection. Subsequent analysis of the product by New York State Food Laboratory personnel confirmed that the Dry Salted Fish (bream) was not properly eviscerated prior to processing.

The sale of uneviscerated fish is prohibited under New York State Agriculture and Markets regulations because Clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish. Uneviscerated fish have been linked to outbreaks of botulinum poisioning.