Snap Chill
Three Snapchill coffee products.
London
CNN
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All Snapchill canned coffee products are being recalled across the United States due to a risk that they may contain a deadly toxin.
Snapchill is voluntarily recalling 296 products because the company’s “current (manufacturing) processes may lead to the growth and production of botulinum toxin,” according to a company announcement posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website last week.
The company said in a statement that it is not aware of any cases of its products containing botulinum toxin and has not had any reports of customers becoming ill. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), botulinum toxin can cause botulism, a rare but potentially fatal illness.
The potential problems with the product came to light when the FDA notified Snapchill that it had not submitted details of its manufacturing process as required by regulation.
“Snapchill is in the process of filing the appropriate notification with the FDA,” the statement added.
In a separate statement on its website, the company said it was “working quickly to resolve the issue.”
“We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this recall may have caused. We are working with the FDA on a solution to resume production within standards,” the company said.
The WHO says on its website that botulinum toxin is “one of the most lethal substances known” and can disrupt nerve function, causing “respiratory and muscular paralysis. ” Symptoms of botulism usually appear within 12 to 36 hours of exposure to the toxin and include fatigue, loss of vision and difficulty swallowing or speaking.
Snapchill distributed its products through its own website as well as through coffee roasters and retailers across the U.S. “Consumers should discard the products or return them to Snapchill or the place of purchase for a refund,” a statement on the FDA’s website said.
