Botulism concerns result in recall of Bolthouse carrot juice
Botulism concerns result in recall of Bolthouse carrot juice
On Friday, Sept. 29, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers not to drink Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice, 450 milliliter and one-liter plastic bottles, with "Best If Used By" dates of Nov. 11, 2006 or earlier.
The FDA's warning followed the fourth case of botulism being linked to Bakersfield, CA-based Bolthouse Farms brand carrot juice.
Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice is distributed to all 50 states, Mexico and Canada through retail stores, and is labeled as follows: Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice, sold in both one-liter and 450-milliliter sizes; Earthbound Farm Organic Carrot Juice, sold in both one-liter and 450-milliliter sizes; and Presidents Choice Organics 100% Pure Carrot Juice, sold in both one-liter and 450-milliliter sizes.
The FDA and Bolthouse are advising consumers to discard the product. The FDA also reiterated its advice to consumers to keep carrot juice -- including pasteurized carrot juice -- refrigerated.
Bolthouse spokesman Tim Warner told The Produce News Oct. 2 that the company worked in conjunction with the FDA and issued its own voluntary recall for the United States and Canada the same day it was notified of a problem. Mr. Warner confirmed information on Bolthouses web site that the company harvests, juices, processes and bottles product within 24 hours. The juice is cold pressed to preserve freshness, with no use of preservatives. The juice is flash-pasteurized and cold-aseptic filled (method to protect against infection by pathogenic microorganisms) for longer shelf life.
Mr. Warner also confirmed that Bolthouse grows the product and handles the processing- and bottling-related operations at its own facility, as was the circumstance for the Earthbound Farm labeled product that was subject to the recall. Mr. Warner told The Produce News the morning Oct. 3 that product in question has been removed from store shelves.
A press release issued by Bolthouse said four people have become ill after consuming what were most likely improperly refrigerated bottles of carrot juice.
The incidents involved one-liter bottle of carrot juice with a use by date of 18SEP06, and one 450-milliliter bottle of carrot juice with a use by date of 19SEP06. These incidents were reported in Georgia and Florida.
The fourth case of botulism poisoning involves an adult female in Florida who is currently suffering from paralysis. A press release issued by the FDA on Sept. 29 said that one link between the illness and the consumers appears to be that the juice they drank was not properly refrigerated once it was in the home, which allowed the Clostridium botulinum spores to grow and produce toxin. The FDA is investigating other possible links.
Bolthouses press release said its processing facilities have been examined closely by internal auditors and the FDA and have been found to be in compliance with all appropriate controlling regulations. The FDA has examined samples from the suspect lots and all samples have been found to be toxin free. These results clearly indicate a likely link between consumer temperature abuse and the development of botulinum toxin, the release reads.
Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium commonly found in soil. Under certain conditions, these bacteria can produce a toxin that, if ingested, can result in botulism, a disease that may cause paralysis or death. Cases of botulism from processed food are extremely rare in the United States.
Symptoms of botulism can include double-vision, droopy eyelids, altered voice, trouble with speaking or swallowing, and paralysis on both sides of the body that progresses from the neck down, possibly followed by difficulty in breathing.
FDA is looking into whether industrys current juice labels provide clear refrigeration instructions.
Mr. Warner said that Bolthouse -- a fourth-generation family farming operation -- has no events in its history such as this botulism episode. Bolthouses press release said that in light of recent concerns regarding potential risk associated with consumer mishandling of carrot juice, Bolthouse will immediately undertake the industry-leading step of modifying its processing to mitigate the potential risk associated with consumer temperature abuse of carrot juice.
The FDA's warning followed the fourth case of botulism being linked to Bakersfield, CA-based Bolthouse Farms brand carrot juice.
Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice is distributed to all 50 states, Mexico and Canada through retail stores, and is labeled as follows: Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice, sold in both one-liter and 450-milliliter sizes; Earthbound Farm Organic Carrot Juice, sold in both one-liter and 450-milliliter sizes; and Presidents Choice Organics 100% Pure Carrot Juice, sold in both one-liter and 450-milliliter sizes.
The FDA and Bolthouse are advising consumers to discard the product. The FDA also reiterated its advice to consumers to keep carrot juice -- including pasteurized carrot juice -- refrigerated.
Bolthouse spokesman Tim Warner told The Produce News Oct. 2 that the company worked in conjunction with the FDA and issued its own voluntary recall for the United States and Canada the same day it was notified of a problem. Mr. Warner confirmed information on Bolthouses web site that the company harvests, juices, processes and bottles product within 24 hours. The juice is cold pressed to preserve freshness, with no use of preservatives. The juice is flash-pasteurized and cold-aseptic filled (method to protect against infection by pathogenic microorganisms) for longer shelf life.
Mr. Warner also confirmed that Bolthouse grows the product and handles the processing- and bottling-related operations at its own facility, as was the circumstance for the Earthbound Farm labeled product that was subject to the recall. Mr. Warner told The Produce News the morning Oct. 3 that product in question has been removed from store shelves.
A press release issued by Bolthouse said four people have become ill after consuming what were most likely improperly refrigerated bottles of carrot juice.
The incidents involved one-liter bottle of carrot juice with a use by date of 18SEP06, and one 450-milliliter bottle of carrot juice with a use by date of 19SEP06. These incidents were reported in Georgia and Florida.
The fourth case of botulism poisoning involves an adult female in Florida who is currently suffering from paralysis. A press release issued by the FDA on Sept. 29 said that one link between the illness and the consumers appears to be that the juice they drank was not properly refrigerated once it was in the home, which allowed the Clostridium botulinum spores to grow and produce toxin. The FDA is investigating other possible links.
Bolthouses press release said its processing facilities have been examined closely by internal auditors and the FDA and have been found to be in compliance with all appropriate controlling regulations. The FDA has examined samples from the suspect lots and all samples have been found to be toxin free. These results clearly indicate a likely link between consumer temperature abuse and the development of botulinum toxin, the release reads.
Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium commonly found in soil. Under certain conditions, these bacteria can produce a toxin that, if ingested, can result in botulism, a disease that may cause paralysis or death. Cases of botulism from processed food are extremely rare in the United States.
Symptoms of botulism can include double-vision, droopy eyelids, altered voice, trouble with speaking or swallowing, and paralysis on both sides of the body that progresses from the neck down, possibly followed by difficulty in breathing.
FDA is looking into whether industrys current juice labels provide clear refrigeration instructions.
Mr. Warner said that Bolthouse -- a fourth-generation family farming operation -- has no events in its history such as this botulism episode. Bolthouses press release said that in light of recent concerns regarding potential risk associated with consumer mishandling of carrot juice, Bolthouse will immediately undertake the industry-leading step of modifying its processing to mitigate the potential risk associated with consumer temperature abuse of carrot juice.
