Residents nationwide were asked to check their pantries and shelves for Del Monte Foods, Inc. canned corn after under-processing issues sparked health concerns.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall on Wednesday, which included 64,242 cases of Fiesta Corn Seasoned with Red & Green Peppers. The recall was issued due to under-processing during the commercial sterilization process, which could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens.
Products included in the recall are 15.25-ounce cans with the UPC number 24000 02770 printed on the label. If the product was affected by the recall, it will also have a "Best if Used By" date that's identified as:
- August 14, 2021
- August 15, 2021
- August 16, 2021
- Sept 3, 2021
- Sept 4, 2021
- Sept 5, 2021
- Sept 6, 2021
- Sept 22, 2021
- Sept 23, 2021
Cans were distributed internationally to the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, El Salvador, Haiti, Guyana, Uruguay, Aruba, Panama, Saint Lucia, Suriname. In the United States, the corn was distributed to various distributors and locations in 25 states, including: Alaska, Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
No illnesses associated with the recalled products have been reported, although, if the products are consumed the contamination could result in life-threatening illness. Spoilage microorganisms cause food to spoil and are not harmful to humans, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pathogenic microorganisms are what can cause a human to become sick if consumed.
Each pathogenic microorganism has its own set of symptoms, but the most common symptom is diarrhea. The severity of the illness also depends on a series of factors including how much of the contaminated food was consumed and the health status of the person who consumed it.
Many people can recover from an illness caused by pathogenic microorganisms, but for certain demographics, the illness can become very serious. For people who are already in poor health, elderly, children or pregnant woman, a foodborne illness can be life-threatening.
Improperly canned foods can also cause botulism, which is an illness that attacks the body's nerves, causing difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It's rare for the bacteria to make people sick, however, if the bacteria grow, they can make one of the most lethal toxins. Botulism is treated with an antitoxin. The antitoxin will prevent the toxins from causing more harm, but it cannot reverse any damage that was already done.
If a person identifies one of the products in their household to be included in the recall, the FDA said they should return it to the place where they purchased it and receive a full refund or exchange.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jenni Fink is a senior editor at Newsweek, based in New York. She leads the National News team, reporting on ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
