Botulism and recalls in Canada and the US

Food law seminar student Tracy Grundman-Reza came across a post on Neal Fortin's US Food Blog from September 2010 that raised a couple of interesting issues:

The first item I read on the US Food Blog was about a sauce that was recalled after it was found that it may have been contaminated with clostridium botulinum.  I found it interesting because normally when I hear about a recall it’s usually due to a salmonella or E. coli outbreak.  I went to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s website and read the original notice warning consumers not to eat the product and describing the recall.   

The recall process in Canada is a little different from the recall process in the US.  In Canada, all recalls are voluntary, but when a manufacturer does not recall a product that may pose a danger to the public, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food can, under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act, order a manufacturer/company  to recall a product when it could be dangerous to the public’s health, animals, or plants.  

More information on clostridium botulinum is also available on the FDA’s website: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/ucm070000.htm

Thanks, Tracy!