Faribault Foods, Inc. is voluntarily recalling 15 ounce cans of S&W Organic Black Beans, 15 ounce cans of O Organic Brand Black Beans and 15 ounce cans of O Organic Brand Chili Beans because the cans may have a compromised hermetic seal.  The compromised hermetic seal may affect can integrity and may cause the cans to leak, bloat or allow bacteria to grow inside the product which could lead to serious illness.  Clostridium botulinum poisoning in humans can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains the toxin. Symptoms may include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and muscle weakness. Botulism poisoning can cause paralysis of the breathing muscles, which can result in death unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided.

The recalled products were distributed nationwide in retail stores.

This event only affects the lot codes listed below:  The lot codes are printed on the bottom of the can.

Product

Lot Number

Distribution Dates

S&W Organic Black Beans, 15 oz. Best By JAN 31 2023  1329A 032 21 February 2021-April 2021
S& W Organic Black Beans, 15 oz. Best By FEB 01 2023 1329A 033 21 February 2021-April 2021
S&W Organic Black Beans, 15 oz. Best By FEB 02 2023 1329A 034 21 February 2021-April 2021
S&W Organic Black Beans, 15 oz. Best By FEB 03 2023 1329A 035 21 February 2021-April 2021
O Organic Organic Black Beans, 15 oz. Best By FEB 03 2023 981A 035 21 February 2021-April 2021
O Organic Organic Chili Beans, 15 oz. Best By FEB 04 2023 978A 036 21 February 2021-April 2021

No other production codes, sizes or brands of Faribault Foods, Inc. products are affected by this recall.

Consumers who may have purchased the products listed above should return them to the store where purchased for a refund or replacement.

The recall was initiated after the firm had received consumer and customer complaints regarding failure of the hermetic seal.  The problem related to the hermetic seal failure was corrected and no other product is affected.

Botulism is a life-threatening paralytic illness caused by neurotoxins produced by an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium—Clostridium botulinum. 

Foodborne botulism is the type that is typically associated with classic botulism symptoms; it is caused by eating foods or ingesting substances that contain botulinum toxin. In foodborne botulism, it is the pre-formed toxin that causes illness, not the bacterium itself. The incidence of foodborne botulism is extremely low, usually fewer than 25 cases per year in the United States. Nonetheless, the extreme risk to public health posed by the toxin requires  that “intensive surveillance is maintained for botulism cases in the United States, and every case is treated as a public health emergency.” Botulism poisoning carries a mortality rate of up to 65% when victims are not treated immediately and properly. Medical treatment is supportive (including mechanical ventilation if required), and an antitoxin may be given to bind free toxin and reverse or delay the progression of symptoms, when used early in the course of illness. Most foodborne botulism reported annually in the United States is associated with home-canned foods that have not been safely processed. Occasionally, though, commercially processed foods are implicated in botulism poisoning, including sausages, beef stew, canned vegetables, and seafood products.