Canned vegetable recall is expanded

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said a Michigan company has, for the third time, expanded its nationwide recall of canned vegetable products.

The New Era Canning Co. of New Era, Mich., said its canned vegetables might be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces the toxin that causes botulism and can result in life-threatening illness or death.

The affected New Era products are large institutional-sized cans weighing between 6 and 7 pounds and containing various types of beans, blackeye peas and asparagus.

The potentially contaminated products are marketed under brand names Classic Sysco, Code, Frosty Acres Restaurant's Pride Preferred, GFS, Kitchen Essentials, Monarch Heritage, Necco, New Era, Nugget and Reliance Sysco.

Only products packed by New Era are subject to the recall, so the FDA said consumers, food service operators and food retailers should check the lot numbers on the bottom of the cans to determine if the product is affected by the recall. A complete list of specific brands, products and lot codes subject to the New Era recalls can be found at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/newera.html.