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Canned meats recalled in Botulism scare On July 18th, Botulism reports in Texas and Indiana prompted Castleberry's Food Company to recall Castleberry's HOT DOG CHILI SAUCE, Austex HOT DOG CHILI SAUCE, and Kroger HOT DOG CHILI SAUCE with "best by" dates from April 30, 2009 through May 22, 2009. The company has also decided to recall over 700,000 pounds of canned meat products including: Castleberry's BUNKER HILL, ORIGINAL Chili NO BEANS; Castleberry's CHILI WITH BEANS; Castleberry's HICKORY SMOKED, OVEN ROASTED, WITH SKINS, BARBECUE PORK IN BARBECUE SAUCE; Cattle Drive CHILI WITH BEANS; Meijer CORNED BEEF HASH; Morton House CORNED BEEF HASH; and Southern Home CORNED BEEF HASH. The bottom of each can is stamped with a "best by" date from April 30, 2009 through May 22, 2009. There have been no reports of illness from consumption of these products, however they were produced at the same time as the affected products, so they are being recalled just to be on the safe side. The USDA reports that an equipment malfunction at the manufacturing plant may have caused the cans to receive inadequate heat treatment. For more information concerning these products, consumers should contact the company's consumer hotline at (888) 203-8446. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 25 cases of botulism are reported each year in the US, the majority from food prepared at home. Botulism is a very serious disease causing blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, muscle weakness, and even death. The bacteria will grow in low acid foods under anaerobic conditions (without oxygen), so it is a particular concern in canned and vacuum packaged foods. If you are canning low acid foods (such as green beans, squash, and corn) at home, then using a pressure canner is the only way to prevent botulism. One of the many services Cooperative Extension has to offer is to check the accuracy of dial gauges on pressure canners. Pressure canners have been extensively redesigned since the nineteen-seventies. The older models have heavy-walled pots with clamp-on or turn-on lids. They are usually fitted with a dial gauge, a vent port in the form of a petcock or counterweight and a safety fuse (overpressure plug).
The older models can still perform well if they have been properly cared for and checked annually. It is very important to have the gauge checked yearly and to ensure that the rubber gasket remains pliable or to replace it, usually every two years. Rubber safety fuses should be replaced every two years according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia (www.uga.edu/nchfp).
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