S&W and O Organic Canned Beans Are Recalled

One of the products, S&W Organic Black Beans, is sold at Costco, which issued its own recall (PDF) Tuesday. Faribault Foods did not reply to CR’s request for information about other retailers that sell the beans. But Faribault Foods spokesperson Jill Kupfer said the company "can confirm that all potentially compromised product shipped to any retailers has been removed from store shelves."

“A hermetic seal allows a can to be airtight and watertight but also allows there to be a vacuum, if needed, inside the can,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports. To keep the contents of the can safe and any possible contamination out, the seal has to be maintained, he says. 

Cans with broken seals might leak or bloat, or could promote bacterial growth inside the can, according to the FDA. One of the most serious problems could be Clostridium botulinum, a type of bacteria that produces a toxin that, when consumed, can affect a person’s nervous system. Symptoms can include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and muscle weakness. 

Don’t use or buy any canned food if the can is bulging, severely dented, or leaking in any way, Rogers says, and “make sure the top and bottom of the can are not distended. They should look normal and intact.” 

Consumers who purchased the recalled canned beans are urged to return them to the store for a refund or replacement. 

“The quality and safety of our products are the top priority for our company,” Faribault Foods said in the FDA’s announcement. “We apologize to our retail customers and consumers and sincerely regret any inconvenience created by this recall.”