Hot Dog Chili Sauce Recalled in Botulism Scare

Federal officials have ordered a recall of certain brands of hot dog chili sauce after they were linked to four cases of botulism in Texas and Indiana. It's not clear how widely the brands were distributed, but the recall includes 10-ounce cans of Castleberry's, Austex and Kroger hot dog chili sauce with "best by" dates from April 30 through May 22, 2009

Botulism is a serious muscle-paralyzing disease that can be fatal, though patients in the chili-sauce scare are expected to survive. Officials urged consumers to throw the cans away without opening them. "The toxin is so potent, if they get it on their hands or it sprays in their face, it could make them ill," said an official. (More chili sauce stories.)