WASHINGTON — A Canadian company is recalling various brands and flavors of canned soup sold in stores across the United States because they might be contaminated with botulism.
The canned soups, sold in 10 3/4-ounce cans and made by Les Produits Freddy Inc. of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, were distributed to U.S. stores nationwide, though the number of cans is not known, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
Some of the cans may have been incorrectly processed to prevent the growth of a bacterium that causes botulism, said Joe Baca, director of the FDA's office of field programs. The FDA, which was notified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency about the problem, doesn't know when or how the contamination was discovered, Baca said. No illnesses have been reported.
Symptoms of botulism, which can be fatal, include weakness, dizziness, double vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty breathing, abdominal problems and constipation.
The recalled soups include:
— Condensed cream of mushroom soup sold under the brands Wegmans, Stop & Shop, Tasty Classics and Baron.
— Cream of chicken soup sold under the brands Wegmans, Stop & Shop, Tasty Classics and Baron.
— Cream of celery soup sold under the brands Wegmans, Stop & Shop and Tasty Classics.
The Tasty Classics soups were sold at Hy-Vee Food and Drug Stores in Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri; in Fareway Stores in Iowa and Illinois; and in Canned Foods Grocery Outlets stores in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii.