The Chai Box is recalling certain bottles of Chai Concentrate Mix because of potential under-processing which may lead to Clostridium botulinum contamination.
These deviations were part of the commercial sterilization process and could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens, which could lead to life-threatening illness if consumed.
The company was notified of the problem during a process review by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The products were shipped nationwide to consumers, retailers and wholesalers. Some product was also shipped to two consumers in Canada. The product is available online and via retail and wholesale facilities.
Recalled products:
The products subject to recall are 16-ounce glass bottles and 64-ounce plastic bottles with best by dates between Sept. 22, 2022, and March 16, 2023.
- 16-ounce glass bottles Chai Concentrate Mix, UPC 7 93611 81925 2
- 64-ounce plastic bottles of Chai Concentrate Mix, UPC 7 93611 81926 9
- 16-ounce glass bottles Unsweetened Chai Concentrate Mix, UPC 793611819252
- 64-ounceplastic bottles of Unsweetened Chai Concentrate Mix UPC 793611819269
As of the posting of this recall, there have been no reports of illness associated with this product to date.
If consumers have any of the recalled products, they should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange.
About botulism
While a variety of illnesses can result from eating under-processed food, one of the most dangerous is botulism poisoning. Untreated, botulism can paralyze the muscles needed for breathing, resulting in sudden death.
Anyone who has eaten any recalled product and developed signs of botulism poisoning should immediately seek medical attention, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food. However, symptoms can begin as soon as 6 hours after or up to 10 days later,” according to the CDC website.
The symptoms of botulism may include some of all of the following: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, a thick-feeling tongue, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. People with botulism poisoning may not show all of these symptoms at once.
These symptoms result from muscle paralysis caused by the toxin. If untreated, the disease may progress, and symptoms may worsen to cause paralysis of specific muscles, including those used in breathing and those in the arms, legs, and the body from the neck to the pelvis area.
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