The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall for several tomato sauce products sold in Connecticut and Massachusetts due to potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism.
The recall involves sauces from First and Last Bakery, LLC, based in Hartford. This alert comes as many households begin preparing for holiday meals and increase food storage.
The FDA explained that these sauces were produced “without an approved schedule process,” indicating that required sterilization steps to eliminate C. botulinum spores may have been skipped or improperly conducted.
Consumers are urged not to consume these products and to return them to the store for a full refund.
Botulism is a rare but extremely dangerous foodborne illness. The toxin impairs nerve functions leading to paralysis and can cause respiratory failure.
Typical symptoms emerge 12 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food and include fatigue, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and abdominal pain.
This recall highlights the critical importance of proper food sterilization to prevent severe health risks during peak holiday food preparations.