Health Department Warns Consumers of Home-Canned Soup Linked to Potter County Restaurant, Botulism Contamination

Consumers who purchased or were given “home-canned” soup or other canned products from the Schumacher’s Inn in Austin, Potter County, should not open the jars due to the risk of Botulism contamination, Health Secretary Dr. Calvin B. Johnson said yesterday.

Consumers who obtained canned products from the restaurant should immediately contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health, toll-free, at 877-PA-HEALTH.

The state became involved after a 43-year-old Potter County woman, and some of the chicken soup she said she purchased from the restaurant, tested positive for botulism.

In individuals, symptoms of botulism can include nausea, vomiting, and intestinal problems; followed by fatigue, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and dry mouth. If untreated, the illness may progress from head to toe, with paralysis of the face, arms, breathing muscles, trunk and legs. Symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as 6 hours or as late as 10 days.