The FDA has just announced that Island Soups Company, Inc., headquartered in Saint Albans, NY, has issued a recall of six varieties of canned soup. This recall stems from the possibility that these products may have been contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that causes botulism – a potentially deadly type of food poisoning.
The recalled products, distributed through internet website purchases, are packaged in 16-ounce glass jars with white lids and white plastic safety seals with brown lettering; they are all coded with “BEST BEFORE” dates ranging from July 2015 through June 2018. The affected varieties are:
- Gungo Peas Soup, Net Wt. 16 OZ
- Gungo Peas Soup No Meat, Net Wt. 16 OZ
- Red Peas Soup, Net Wt. 16 OZ
- Red Peas Soup No Meat, Net Wt. 16 OZ
- Mannish Water, Net Wt. 16 OZ
- Fish Soup, Net Wt. 16 OZ
According to the FDA, their inspection of Island Soup’s Company manufacturing facility discovered that the company had failed to compile valid process schedules and / or process documentation to verify that the recalled products were sufficiently processed to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum (botulism) microorganisms.
Although no actual cases of food poisoning have as yet been associated with the six varieties of soup, consumers have been warned to dispose of any of these products they may have purchased due to the serious threat that botulism poses to those who contract it. The Clostridium botulinum bacterium is a powerful neurotoxin (nerve toxin) that, even in minuscule amounts, can prove deadly when it contaminates food products. Symptoms of botulism poisoning include: general weakness / malaise, double-vision, dizziness, and / or difficulty in breathing, swallowing, or speaking.
A hotline for consumer questions has been set up at 917-991-6647, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, EST. A complete list of product photos can be found here. If you purchased these soups, do not eat them. Throw them away in a sealed container or return them to the store where you bought them for a full refund.
