Potential botulism threat spurs recall of spaghetti sauce

Spaghetti sauce with virtually no identifying labeling information is under recall because of a risk of botulism poisoning.

Érablière Godbout distributed its brand of “Sauce spaghetti” in the Canadian province of Quebec, according to a recall notice from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The agency is urging consumers to check their homes for the product.

“Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased,” according to the recall notice. “Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.”

One-liter and 500 millimeter bottles of the spaghetti sauce are subject to the recall. Other labeling information is as follows: 

The government did not provide details, but reported that the potential contamination with the botulism-causing had not resulted in any confirmed illnesses as of the posting of the recall.

“This recall was triggered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) test results. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products,” the recall notice states.

Botulism poisoning symptoms in adults can include facial paralysis or loss of facial expression, paralysis of breathing muscles, unreactive or fixed pupils, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking or including slurred speech, and a change in sound of voice, including hoarseness.

Symptoms of foodborne botulism in children can include difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, generalized weakness and paralysis. In all cases, botulism does not cause a fever. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

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