Kraft Heinz has issued a voluntarily recall of a Taco Bell cheese dip over fears that it could lead to botulism.
More than 59,000 jars of Taco Bell Salsa Con Queso Mild Cheese Dip with ‘best used by’ dates from October 31, 2018, to January 23, 2019, were pulled from supermarket shelves.
The food company said that the dip, which comes in a 15-ounce glass jar, was showings signs of ‘product separation’, which is when parts of the dip literally pull apart.
This provides room for the growth of bacteria that leads to the potentially deadly food poisoning.
The company also said in its statement, released on Tuesday, that there have been no reports of illnesses or complaints from consumers.
Kraft Heinz has issued a voluntarily recall of Taco Bell Salsa Con Queso Mild Cheese Dip over fears that it could lead to botulism
According to the CDC, botulism is a rare but fatal form of food poisoning caused by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum.
Under certain conditions, the bacterium’s spores can create a neurotoxin that attacks the body’s nerves.
The toxin causes muscle paralysis and a slew of other symptoms including double vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness.
Symptoms typically arise between 18 and 36 hours after eating food contaminated with the toxin.
Botulism is treated with a drug known as an antitoxin, which does reverse the damage done by the toxin but rather prevents it from doing further harm.
It can cause death if the toxin paralyzes your muscles that control your breathing, sending you into respiratory failure.
The CDC says that the development of the antitoxin has greatly reduced the number of deaths from botulism.
Deaths have fallen from 50 out of 100 people with botulism succumbing to the disease to five out of every 100.
It was not immediately clear from the statement when Kraft Heinz recognized the risk in the Taco Bell cheese dip.
Customers have been warned to not use the product, even if it smells or looks safe.
Anyone who purchased the dip is advised to return it for an exchange or to seek a refund.
‘We deeply regret this situation and apologize to any consumers we have disappointed,’ the company wrote.
Daily Mail Online has reached out Kraft Heinz for further comment.
This is the latest in a series of recalls by popular food companies over fears of contamination, particularly from Salmonella.
In June, Kellogg voluntarily recalled its popular children’s cereal Honey Smacks, which has been linked to a massive salmonella outbreak that has infected 100 people.
Earlier this month, Mondelez International recalled 16 varieties of Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Bits products over Salmonella risks, with two people falling ill so far.
And just yesterday, Pepperidge Farm voluntarily recalled four types of Goldfish Crackers due to Salmonella fears.