Recalled Food Still on Store Shelves
State Department of Agriculture officials are expanding efforts to remove potentially contaminated food from North Carolina stores after inspectors found more than 10,000 cans of the food were still on store shelves two weeks after they were recalled.
Posted — UpdatedCastleberry’s Food Co. of Augusta, Ga., recalled more than 25 brands of chili, beef stew, corned beef hash and flavors of canned dog food. At least four cases of botulism connected to the recalled food products have been confirmed in Indiana and Texas.
State inspectors visited nearly 1,500 grocery and convenience stores, distribution centers, warehouses and food banks in the past week to search for the recalled products, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said.
“Our inspectors are finding that a lot of smaller stores and markets across the state had not been informed by their suppliers of the need to remove these products from sale,” Troxler said in a statement. “We’re partnering with state and local environmental health specialists and public health staff to visit additional stores to identify and remove any of the products still on shelves.”
Wake and Cumberland counties said Thursday that they would send their own health inspectors to area stores to make sure the recalled foods are pulled from the shelves.
Botulism is a rare, but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin. Symptoms include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness. The illness can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and death.
Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Castleberry’s Consumer Hotline at 888-203-8446.
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