Coffee products recalled due to potentially deadly bacteria could have “serious adverse health consequences,” authorities warn.
Last month, Wisconsin-based Snapchill LLC voluntarily recalled more than 250 of its canned coffee products over botulism concerns. to A rare foodborne pathogen that attacks the body’s nerves..
The FDA, which had previously found problems with the company’s canning methods, has now given the recall a Class II rating.
This is “a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or in which the likelihood of serious adverse health consequences occurring is remote.”
No illness has been reported so far.
Snapchill LLC, which makes a variety of canned coffee products, has voluntarily recalled more than 250 products over concerns of botulism contamination.
The FDA has classified the recall as Class II, or “a situation where use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the likelihood of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”
The products were sold under dozens of brands and trademarks and came in sizes ranging from seven to 12 ounces. All of the affected products had expiration dates between June 16, 2024, and April 16, 2025.
The recall involves nearly 550,000 cans, which were distributed throughout the United States and Canada, according to the FDA.
A Class II recall is the agency’s second-worst classification. Class I recalls involve products where “there is a reasonable probability that use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
Botulism is caused by a toxin released by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which is normally found in spores in soil, marine areas, and on the surface of foods such as fruits, vegetables, and shellfish.
These bacteria produce spores, which act as protective layers and are usually harmless.
However, closed, warm, humid spaces that lack oxygen (such as metal cans or plastic jars) can cause bacteria to release toxins that attack the central nervous system.
The bacteria thrives in canned foods because the canning process expels air from the food, creating a favorable environment for the growth of C. botulinum.
The FDA reportedly warned the coffee company after discovering it violated regulations by failing to notify the agency that it was using a low-acid canning method.
‘Snapchill has provided Snapchill cold brew coffee to a wide range of roasters nationwide since 2019, with no known cases of botulinum among consumers, a company spokesperson said. Newsweek Magazine.
The CDC estimates that only 200 cases of botulism occur in the United States each year, and that only 25 of those are due to food, making it extremely rare. Other causes include infections and, in rare cases, overinjection of the botulinum toxin used in Botox.
Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurred vision, difficulty speaking, difficulty breathing, and difficulty moving the eyes.
Botulism can be fatal in 5 to 10 percent of cases. The disease is treated with antitoxins.