Bacon jam sold at last year's Make It! event in St. Albert is being recalled as the spread may contain a strain of bacteria that can cause botulism.
Bacon jam sold at last year's Make It! event in St. Albert is being recalled as the spread may contain a strain of bacteria that can cause botulism.
On his company website, Brad Smoliak of Kitchen by Brad Smoliak announced late Tuesday that certain batches of his bacon jam product, Bacon by Brad Smoliak, may "permit the growth of clostridium botulinum" – the bacteria that can cause botulism.
The affected products were sold with the best before dates of March 14, 2014 and July 14, 2014. Smoliak advises to throw out the product immediately or return it to his store for a full refund.
"I deeply regret the concern and uncertainty this may cause you. I am a chef that lives in a culture of food safety," Smoliak writes on his website. "I have an unwavering commitment to keeping your food safe with standards that go beyond regulatory requirements. I acknowledge that my best efforts failed and I am sorry."
The Make It! event was a craft show for handmade products that took place from Nov. 21 to 24 at the Enjoy Centre.
The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
There are several types of botulism, including foodborne botulism, that is caused by eating foods that contain the botulinum toxin. Botulism is a serious illness that should be treated as a medical emergency.
Symptoms of botulism may include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness. In some cases, it can lead to paralysis.
In food-borne botulism, symptoms generally begin 12 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days. Vomiting and constipation or diarrhea may be present initially. When diagnosed early, food-borne botulism can be treated with an antitoxin.
Smoliak writes that he immediately worked with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to execute a full recall of the product. As of now, there have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of the product and the recall does not include any other Kitchen by Brad food products, he writes.
A person speaking on behalf of Smoliak said he was made aware of the potential bacteria in the product late Tuesday afternoon. Kitchen by Brad uses two production facilities, one federally certified for product that moves outside the province. The product in question was made in another, provincial facility that was used before demand in the product grew and production moved to the new facility.
If people have questions or concerns, they can contact [email protected] or 780-757-7704.
For more information go to kitchenbybrad.ca/wordpress/recall-of-bacon-jam-2/.
