Slim-Fast recall - contaminated with Bacillus cereus

Are you an avid Slim-Fast drinker?  Well, you might want to chunk  that can before you chug it.  Due to a recent bacterial contamination issue, Slim-Fast has recalled 2 million shakes - approximately 50 different flavors.  While the ready-to-drink shakes are on the list, the powdered shakes, meal bars, and snack bars are not affected by the recall.

Apparently, Unilever (the maker of Slim-Fast), had recently discovered a bacteria known as Bacillus cereus in their shakes during an inspection.  Anita Larsen, a spokeswoman for Unilever, claims that the inspection was purely routine, and not spawned by any reported calls concerning the product.  Health officials were notified and soon had suppliers everywhere pulling the product from their shelves.  In some states, local health departments have even conducted on-site inspections to make certain the problem is being dealt with correctly.  The Center for Disease Control officials say that they have yet to receive any calls regarding illness as a result of the product.

Bacillus cereus or B. cereus, is a soil dwelling hemolytic bacterium.  Some strains are harmful to humans, causing foodborne illness, while other strains can be beneficial probiotics for animals.  One type of the strain is diarrheal, and has an incubation period of 8 to 16.5 hours before showing symptoms of diarrhea and gastrointestinal pain.  The other form, emetic (vomiting) usually produces symptoms of nausea and vomiting within 1 to 5 hours after consumption. B. cereus is not lethal, and the company claims that risk of serious illness is remote.

Consumers having recently purchased Slim-Fast RTD products are urged to discard them and contact the company at 1-800-896-9479 for a full refund.  The company is currently investigating the source of the contamination and correcting issues with production.