MONDAY DEC 24, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) -- Canned cut green beans made by New Era Canning Company, New Era, Mich. may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that causes botulism, the Food and Drug Administration warned Dec. 21.

The FDA found the contamination on Dec 20 after a sample tested positive for C. botulinum. New Era is voluntarily recalling 171 cases of the green beans (6 cans per case), according to the FDA.

The affected canned cut green beans were labeled as "GFS Fancy Blue Lake Cut Green Beans" and distributed to retailers, restaurants and foodservice institutions in many states by Gordon Food Service, Grand Rapids , Mich. , with lot code 19H7FL and UPC code 93901 11873, in large institutional-sized, 6 pound 5 ounce (#10) cans.

The food service establishments that use the affect green beans include food service customers in Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Illinois , Indiana , Kentucky , Mississippi , Missouri , North Carolina , Tennessee , and Virginia . The green beans were also sold through GFS Marketplace stores in Indiana , Kentucky , and Tennessee .

So far, no cases of illness have been reportedly associated with use of the canned cut green beans.

The FDA advised that customers who have the affected cans of cut green beans or have used the green beans in recipes should throw cans and food away immediately to avoid the potential poisoning.

C. botulinum toxin when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the eye or a break in the skin even at a tiny dose could lead to serious illness. Skin contact should be avoided and hands needs to be washed immediately after handling the affected food, the FDA said.

The affected cans should be put in plastic bags and disposed in a way that no one could touch the disposed food.

Symptoms of botulism poisoning may show up in humans after a short period of 6 hours to 2 weeks after ingesting food that contains the toxin.