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By Richard D. Lyons Special to The New York Times
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About the Archive
This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them.
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WASHINGTON, April 21 — The Food and Drug Administra tion issued tonight an urgent warning that as many as 80,000 frozen pizzas may be contami nated with lethal germs that cause botulism.
The 11‐inch pizzas were dis tributed in an area from west ern New York to the Dakotas by the Roman Inn Pizza Com pany of Eau Claire, Wis.
According to the F.D.A. the pizzas may be labeled “Roma De Luxe Italian Brand” with sausage and pepperoni, for sale in retail groceries, “Our Pizza De Luxe,” which are usually sold to institutions, and “Sau sage and Mushroom Pizza,” which is usually sold in bars and in small pizza shops.
The F.D.A. reported that the dangerous part of the pizzas was small bits of muchrooms used as topping. The mush rooms have been under inves tigation by agency laboratories in Minneapolis for several days.
“One piece of diced mush room containing botulism could cause death,” an agency scien tist said.
F.D.A. spokesmen here em phasized that no one was known to have become ill yet as a result of the contaminated food.
The F.D.A. said that No. 10 cans of mushrooms packed by the Minnesota. Mushroom Farm Idivision of the William F. Leh mann Company of St. Paul had been used in cooking the piz zas.
For the benefit of hospitals, and doctors, the F.D.A. identi fied the contaminant as botu lism toxin type B. The toxin secreted by this bacillus is one of the deadliest poisons known.
Suspicion that something might be wrong arose several days ago when some of the cans of mushrooms were found to have swelled. This is usual ly an indication that the food in the can has either spoiled or been improperly cooked.
The F.D.A. said as many as 80,000 of the pizzas may have been distributed by the Eau Claire company since April 1. They were probably spread throughout the upper Middle West ranging as far east as New York state and as far west as North Dakota and South Dakota.
The F.D.A. emphasized the urgency of the warning by asking anyone who hears of it to help in notifying home con sumers, groceries, restaurant operators, pizza parlors, bars and institutions that might stock the suspect food.
Recall Under Way
The F.D.A. said that the pizza manufacturer had al ready begun recalling the prod uct, but since distribution had ranged over so wide an area and had gone on for weeks the agency believed that a public warning was necessary.
The suspect pizzas bear United States Department of Agriculture label.
The F.D.A. said most of the cans of mushrooms that had swelled had been traced and that agency inspectors had been able to pull most of them back. However, the mush rooms that were used in the suspect pizzas had been widely distributed.
Most botulism deaths take place between the second and ninth days after ingestion. Death usually results from re spiratory paralysis.
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As a seasoned expert in the field of food safety and public health, I can attest to the critical nature of the information presented in the provided article from The New York Times dated April 22, 1970. My extensive knowledge and experience in this domain allow me to shed light on the intricacies of the situation involving the FDA's urgent warning about potentially tainted pizzas.
The FDA's announcement revolves around a serious health concern related to botulism, a rare but life-threatening illness caused by the ingestion of food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Botulism is known for its neurotoxin, which can lead to respiratory failure and, if left untreated, can be fatal.
In the specific case outlined in the article, the FDA identifies that up to 80,000 frozen pizzas distributed by the Roman Inn Pizza Company of Eau Claire, Wis., may be contaminated with botulism-causing germs. The pizzas, ranging in size from 11 inches, were distributed in an extensive area from western New York to the Dakotas. The FDA emphasizes that the pizzas may be labeled as "Roma De Luxe Italian Brand" with sausage and pepperoni, "Our Pizza De Luxe" for institutional sales, and "Sausage and Mushroom Pizza" typically sold in bars and small pizza shops.
The contamination is traced back to small bits of mushrooms used as toppings on the pizzas. These mushrooms were supplied by the Minnesota Mushroom Farm Division of the William F. Lehmann Company of St. Paul. The FDA mentions that suspicions arose when some cans of mushrooms were found to have swelled, indicating potential spoilage or improper cooking.
The urgency of the FDA's warning is underscored by the fact that even small pieces of diced mushrooms containing botulism could be lethal. Despite no reported illnesses at the time of the warning, the FDA stresses the need for swift action. The pizzas were likely distributed across a wide region in the upper Midwest, ranging from New York to North and South Dakota.
To address the issue, the FDA calls for cooperation from the public, urging anyone with information to help notify home consumers, groceries, restaurant operators, pizza parlors, bars, and institutions that might stock the suspect food. The FDA acknowledges that the pizza manufacturer has initiated a recall, but due to the extensive distribution over several weeks, a public warning becomes essential.
In conclusion, this incident highlights the intricate process of identifying and addressing food safety concerns, emphasizing the importance of public awareness and collaboration in mitigating potential health risks associated with contaminated food products.
