Huge Canned Coffee Recall Stirs Up Concern for Botulism

Snapchill LLC of Green Bay, Wisconsin just initiated a huge canned coffee recall for all canned coffee products manufactured by the company.

Why?

Because “their current process could lead to growth and production of the deadly toxin, botulinum toxin, in low acid canned foods.”

While no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall, their production practices have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and therefore are not allowed in commerce for human consumption.

Canned Coffee Recall with Over 150 Labels Involved

This recall involves a variety of brand names associated with many different roasters. These metal cans range in volume from 7 ounces to 12 ounces.

Over 150 labels are involved in this huge canned coffee recall!

While some recalled products identify Snapchill Coffee prominently on the label, some affected products may only include “Produced and distributed by Snapchill LLC” underneath the nutrition facts panel.

Affected products include:

Snapchill                             41 & Change                      Alchemy Roasting                            Amavida

Appalachia Coffee            Baba Java Coffee              Bent Tree Coffee                               Big Iron

Big Mouth Coffee             Big Shoulders                     BKG                                                     Black Acres

Black Nerd                          Blind                                    Bold Bean                                          Bolt Coffee

Borealis                              Brandywine                        BRL                                                     Broadsheet

Burwell                               Cafe Ammi                         Cape Cod Coffee                              Carrier

Cerberus Coffee                Coffee Hound                    Coffee N Clothes                              Coffee Project NY

Color Coffee                      Connect Coffee                 Copper Horse                                   Coterie Coffee

Crankshaft Coffee             Cup to Cup                         Dave’s Coffee                                   Dayglow

Daysol Coffee                    Dead Sled                           Doughnut Planet                              Downeast Coffee

Dreamy                               Driply                                   East End                                             Eclipse Coffee

Electro Brew Coffee         Element Coffee                 Emergency Medical Coffee            Enderly

Euphoria Coffee                Farmhouse                         Fazenda                                             Fika

Firegrounds                        First Crack                          Fire & Hoek                                       Five Star Roasters

Flight                                   Gay Awakening Coffee    George Howell                                 Gigawatt

Goldberry Roasting Company                                     Gooseneck Coffee Co.                    Gryphon Coffee

Heady Cup                          Heart Coffee                      Heine Bros                                        Helm

Honest Coffee                   Hustle n Grind                    Intelligentsia                                     Joe Bean

Kahawa                               Kaldi’s                                  Knowledge Perk                               Kribi Coffee

Kuva Coffee                       La Cosecha                         Lanna Coffee                                    Larry’s Coffee

Little Wolf                          Ludwig Coffee                   Mad Priest                                         Madcap Coffee

Maple Leaf Coffee Roasters                                         Medici                                                Metric

Mighty Good Coffee Co.  Joe, Molon Labe               Mudd, LLC                                         Neighbor Coffee

New Hampshire Coffee Roasters                                New Harvest                                     Northern Coffeeworks

Offset Coffee                     Others Coffee                    Oye Coffee                                        Paper Plane Coffee Co.

Peaks Coffee Co.               Perkatory                           Perla                                                   Pettibone

Pink Elephant                     Play Coffee                        Quartertone Coffee                        QUIVR

Rabble & Lion                    Radical Coffee                   Ragged                                              Rarebird

Red Rooster                       Retrograde Coffee            Rock City                                           Rockford Coffee

Rusty Dog                           Sacred Grounds                 Saltwater                                           Seaworthy Coffee

Sepia Coffee                      Shirazi Dist.                        Slacktide                                            Sleeping Giant Roasters

Slow Bloom Coffee           Snowy Owl                         Southeastern Roastery                   Spot Coffee

Springline                           Square One Coffee           Stack Street                                       Summit Coffee

Sur Coffee                          The Boy & The Bear          The Well Coffeehouse                    Tinker

Three Tree Coffee Roasters                                         Tipico                                                 Touchy Coffee

Traction                              True Love Coffee Co.       Underwood                                      Upshot

Verb                                     Victoria Coffee                  Vivid                                                   Waypost

White Bison                       White Rhino                       Wild Goose Coffee

 

Affected products were distributed nationwide through various coffee roasters, retail location, and available online for direct purchase from Snapchill.

What Was the Reason for the Canned Coffee Recall?

Canned coffee, particularly shelf stable canned coffee, falls into a category known as “low acid canned foods.” This is a regulated food product.

While there have been no illness to-date associated with these products, manufacturing processes for this product type, if not performed correctly, can lead to the production of botulin toxin. This toxin can cause serious and life-threatening health concerns if consumed.

The FDA requires food products in this category to file their processing plan with the FDA.

Much like most food manufacturing companies are required to create a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan explaining their process (including all the potential areas where things can go wrong, and how they are avoided), the FDA requires a similar documentation for this food category.

The FDA reviews the plan, and in some cases an on-site inspection is scheduled. This helps ensure that proper protocols are in place to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and the potential toxins they produce. One major concern in botulism.

What is Botulism, and How Dangerous Is It?

Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning. It is caused by the botulin toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria and other related species.

These bacteria for a protective coating when they become spores that enable them to survive extreme environmental conditions. Under certain conditions, these spores can produce “one of the most lethal toxins known.”

Conditions like low- or no-oxygen, low acid, low sugar, and low salt environments are prime conditions for botulin toxin production. Certain temperature ranges and water content are also contributing factors.

Improperly preserved or processed food provides these optimal conditions.

Botulism Symptoms

Botulism symptoms are caused by the toxin attacking the body’s nerves, causing muscle weakness and other downline medical problems.

Common symptoms include:

• Blurry vision
• Double vision
• Slurred speech
• Drooping eyelids
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty moving the eyes

Other signs and symptoms of foodborne botulism may include vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and/or diarrhea.

People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

Botulism in Infants

Botulism in infants is a serious concern. Symptoms in infants can sometimes present differently.

Symptoms in infants may include:

• Poor feeding
• Constipation
• Drooping eyelids
• Pupils that are slow to react to light
• Face showing less expression than usual
• Weak cry that sounds different than usual

Infants with these symptoms should be taken for medical treatment immediately.

Have You or a Loved One Consumed Recalled Canned Coffee and Become Sick?

If you or a loved one consumed recalled canned coffee and became sick, you may have a legal case. The experienced food poisoning lawyers at The Lange Law Firm, PLLC have helped many families pick up the pieces following serious illness.

Beverage manufacturers should know the appropriate processes to make products that do not result in consumer illness. When details are skipped, people get sick.

Call (833) 330-3663 or click here for a free consultation.

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By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)