Urgent warnings have been issued in 29 states after a brand of coconut water was recalled due to possible bacterial contamination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated the recall for 12-can Jarritos Coconut Water boxes manufactured by Tipp Distributors, totaling more than two million cans and nearly 170,000 cases.
The affected product is 17.5-fluid-ounce size and all lot numbers have been recalled.
The problem stems from a potentially compromised seal on the cans, allowing bacteria to enter, potentially leading to botulism poisoning.
The recalled product was distributed in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Botulism can “paralyze the muscles necessary for breathing, causing sudden death.”
Earlier this month, the FDA classified the recall as a Class II, which indicates that “a product has a low probability of causing serious injury or death, but there is still a possibility of adverse health effects.”
The agency urges consumers to throw away Jarritos Coconut Water and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms of botulism.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated the recall for 12-can Jarritos Coconut Water boxes manufactured by Tipp Distributors, totaling more than two million cans and nearly 170,000 cases.
Tipp Distributors will notify recipients or the public of the recall by email.
The recall was initiated on November 4 and reclassified by the FDA on December 10, noting that it is still ongoing.
ConsumerLab.com said in a report: ‘Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that can cause botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.
‘Symptoms include general weakness, muscle weakness, dizziness, double vision, abdominal tension, constipation, difficulty speaking or swallowing and difficulty breathing.’
Botulism is most common in homemade canning when food is not stored properly.
In the past, botulism has been linked to foods such as sardines, pesto, tomatoes and pickles.
The disease does not spread from person to person and there is no risk to the general population.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, “For foodborne botulism, symptoms typically begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food.
‘However, symptoms can begin as early as 6 hours afterward or up to 10 days later.’
The affected product is 17.5-fluid-ounce size and all lot numbers have been recalled
The problem stems from a potentially compromised seal on the cans, allowing bacteria to enter, which can lead to botulism poisoning
Botulism is caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
These toxins attack the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
Earlier this year, a woman in Colorado was left paralyzed and fighting for her life after battling a deadly bacterial infection that her friends believed she contracted from canned soup.
Snowboarder Claudia de Albuquerque Celada, 23, originally from Brazil, was attending a work exchange program in Aspen when she began experiencing dizziness, double vision and difficulty breathing.
Within 24 hours, all the muscles in her body became paralyzed, leaving her on a ventilator.
It took about two weeks of testing before doctors determined she had botulism.
Albuquerque Celada’s sister, Luisa Albuquerque, wrote on Instagram that her sister moved to Colorado in November for her “dream job,” although it is unclear what industry she worked in.
About 15 days after purchasing the soup, Luisa said her sister left work early because she started feeling sick. “She took a shower, ate and went to bed, but she had shortness of breath, blurred vision and dizziness,” Luisa told Portuguese outlet UOL.
“She sent a message to her friends to go to her apartment, but they won’t tell her until the morning.”
‘When they arrived, my sister was already much worse, she could barely breathe on her own and she had facial paralysis.’
She also suffered from weak muscles, arms and legs. Some other very weak muscles, weak arms, weak legs.
“She went to the hospital and shortly afterwards she was 100 percent paralyzed,” Luisa said.
Doctors are now optimistic about her recovery. After months of therapy, she can write her name and breathe for an hour with the help of a ventilator.