The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has intensified its efforts to enforce a nationwide recall of canned vegetable products from New Era Canning Co. of Michigan. The products were reportedly contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces the toxin that causes botulism and can result in life threatening illness or death.

The canned products are in large cans weighing between six and seven pounds and containing various types of beans, green beans, garbanzos, blackeye peas and asparagus.

Most of the canned vegetables are marketed under brand names Classic Sysco, Code, Frosty Acres Restaurant's Pride Preferred, GFS, Kitchen Essentials, Monarch Heritage, Necco, New Era, Nugget and Reliance Sysco.

Botulism can occur in as little as six hours after the canned vegetables are consumed. Symptoms include double vision, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness that moves progressively down the body.

The illness may result in death due to respiratory failure, but patients who survive botulism poisoning may have fatigue and shortness of breath for years, and long-term therapy may be needed to aid recovery.

The FDA said even small amounts of the toxin can cause serious illness when ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the eye or a break in the skin. Skin contact should be avoided as much as possible, and hands should be washed immediately after handling the food.

Only products packed by New Era are subject to the recall. FDA advised consumers to visit http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/newera.html. for a complete listing of canned vegetable brands being recalled for the last five years, and to dispose of it immediately.