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Safe Handling of Refrigerated Vegetable Juices

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising consumers of the importance of properly storing some vegetable juices such as carrot juice that are sold refrigerated, to prevent botulism.

Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by botulinum toxin, a nerve poison that can be produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with the toxin may cause symptoms that generally appear from six to 36 hours after exposure and may include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, headache, double vision, dry throat, respiratory failure, paralysis and permanent disability or death.

Due to the serious effects of botulism, consumers are reminded that it is critical to follow label instructions and refrigerate these juices. Inadequate refrigeration could allow any botulinum spores present to multiply and produce toxin at a level that causes illness.

Consumers should look for the words “Keep Refrigerated” or “Refrigerate After Opening” on juice labels to know whether the product should be refrigerated. Consumers should not leave these juices unrefrigerated.

Proper storage is one of the keys to food safety. Refrigeration slows down most bacterial growth. Check the temperature of your fridge on a regular basis with a refrigerator thermometer. Set your refrigerator at or below 4°C (40°F). Don’t overload your fridge - cool air must circulate freely to keep food properly chilled. After grocery shopping, immediately refrigerate or freeze foods as indicated on the label.

For more information, consumers may call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Clostridium botulinum or safe food storage, visit the Food Facts web page at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/causee.shtml.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/tipcon/storagee.shtml

For more information on food safety, visit the Agency’s Web site at: www.inspection.gc.ca.

P0496E-06