The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall for over 250 packaged coffee products due to concerns about botulinum toxin contamination. Snapchill LLC, a Wisconsin-based company, manufactured the coffee cans in question. The FDA raised concerns about Snapchill’s coffee packaging process when the company failed to provide information about the production process of low-acid canned coffee, which poses a risk of toxin development and contamination.
Botulinum is an extremely powerful neurotoxin produced by anaerobic bacteria that prefer closed environments like canned food. Symptoms of botulinum poisoning include weakness, dizziness, double vision, bloating, discomfort, difficulty breathing, speaking or swallowing. These symptoms can appear within hours or up to two weeks after exposure and immediate medical attention is necessary as botulinum poisoning can be fatal if left untreated.
Snapchill products are sold nationwide and online to customers. A Snapchill representative stated that the company has supplied coffee products to many distributors since 2019 without any cases of consumer poisoning. However, due to Snapchill’s failure to provide information about its production process to the FDA, the agency suspects that toxin development may occur. Snapchill emphasized that the recall is voluntary and apologized for the oversight. They are working to resolve the issue and ensure the safety and satisfaction of their customers. As of June 22, there have been no reported deaths or cases of poisoning related to Snapchill coffee
