Slim Fast Recall: Bacterial Contamination in Canned Drinks May Cause Illness

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A massive Slim-Fast recall has been announced for all 10 million ready-to-drink cans of the diet product that are currently on the market in the United States and Canada. The Slim Fast drinks may be contaminated with bacteria that could cause symptoms of food poisoning.

The recall for Slim Fast canned drinks was announced last week by Unilever United States, Inc., the manufacturer, after testing revealed contamination by the Bacillus cereus microorganism. The bacteria can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Although the manufacturer claims that no illnesses or deaths have been officially reported in connection with the recall, MSNBC.com reports that a number of people have become sick from Slim Fast drinks, with illness surfacing about 6 to 15 hours after the shake was consumed. The report indicates that the individuals recovered within about 24 hours.

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The Slim-Fast ready-to-drink cans are flavored meal replacement drinks used for weight loss. The recall includes all Slim-Fast cans of all flavors, sold both in four-can cartons and individually. It affects cans currently in stores and includes all cans which may be in homes that have not yet been consumed. There are an estimated 10 million of the 11-ounce, steel cans on the market.

The recall does not include Slim-Fast powdered shakes, meal bars or snack bars.

Bacillus cereus is responsible for about two percent of all foodborne illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Illness comes within 24 hours after exposure and can result in a diarrheal illness. Serious illness and permanent injury are very rare.

Unilever has ceased production of Slim-Fast ready-to-drink cans until the source of the contamination can be identified and corrected, company officials say.


140 Comments


Marilyn
I have an 8 pack of SlimFast that I bought a while ago. I drank one on Friday for lunch. I became sick a while later. I had stomach cramps, nausea and severe diaharea that lasted until Saturday evening. I still have the nausea. What treatment works? What antibiotic works? I called SlimFast and got no answers. They said not to worry syptoms will go away on their own. I guess I will call my doctor again.

bonnie
well i didnt know about the recall and i drank a shake yesterday and i was in the bathroom in the evening no nausea >>but i drank one this morning after the gym i went to the local grocery store and they told me they pulled it off the shelves well dont u know rite after that i started with the sweats and the chills no bathroom yet this is nit rite at all>>>>

Evelyn
After several calls and one email, I finally got a call from slim fast. All they told me was that my case will be reveiwed by the legal team. Because of their high volume of mail, they should get back to me in a few weeks.

Thurston
It has been 8 weeks since I filed for the rebate of the 22 cans that I dumped. When do I get reimbursed?

Stephanie
They ARE NOT sending out the reimbursement checks. I say we file a class action lawsuit. What do we do?

julie
I just bought slim fast on 2/11 not knowing about the recall that had taken place in dec. i drank one can of it during the day on 2/12. I was up during the night with severe nausea and diarrhea… i had another can in the morning on the way to the gym and experienced terrible nausea throughout the day, i took imodium for the diarrhea and felt better later in the day. I did not have anymore until yesterday and today and I have had nausea and diarrhea both days. today is awful…i feel so sick to my stomach… I think that there is STILL something wrong with slimfast. i have one can left that is going in the trash!

Pam
I have been waiting for weeks for a Unilever rep to call me back. What is really strange to me is after the initial news of the recall, the news media has been totally tight-lipped. What is that about? I have drank SlimFast forever, but after my spinal fusion surgery, I really began to depend on it…as I did not have much of an apetite. During my recovery period, I got really sick to my stomach…vomitted, which jeoparized my surgery…got so sick, I had to be hospitalized again. They ran all kinds of tests, was dehydrated, and they put me on an iv to feed me and an iv of antibiotics. Then, I hear of the SlimFast recall. I called Unilever right away to tell them of my story, and the rep said that they would be calling me back. They never have. Now I am wondering if there is going to be a lawsuit. Unilever must be high profile, as they have been able to keep this out of the news media to a large degree. Again, whats up with that?

Evelyn
I became ill after drinking slim fast for breakfast in Aug.09. I was in a mall when I became nauseous and vomitted before passing out and having diarrhea. The ambulance took me to ER. In my medical records the doctor states “certainly the cause of her syncope and injury was a direct consequence of her vomiting and is likely related to gastroenteritis”. I also have my receipt for my slimfast purchase one week prior to my incident. When I heard about the recall, I truly believe this was the cause of my illness. I called Unilever and sent them the info. they requested. Now what?

Robert
When is this product going to be back on the market

barbara
So after all these comments — what can we all do??? People are sick and the other issue is that they are not reimbursing anyone . Contact the Better Business Bureau, your state’s Attorney General’s office, elected officials??? Any suggestions???

Angela
I am a 46 year old female and I have used Slim Fast for 1 year and the last case. I purchased were effected by the recall. I Droke a shake for breakfast and then another for lunch, by the time I could leave work I was doubled over with pain in my stomach. The pains from the cramps and then the diarrhea that went on for days after I stop taken the product wasn’t great. I still haven’t received anything from them and I called in December. I believe like any other company they should be held responsible for any time missed from work and pain this has caused many of their consumers. I was reading many of the comments and to see the little amount of the refunds and not even an I’m sorry being including is a slap in the face to their consumer who placed their trust in this company.

Khalisha
This is outrages! Not everyone is out to get a quick dollar. There are many people out there who really did drink this and was effected. I think slim fast should be ashamed of what they are doing. Not only should people receive a full refund but also be compensated for their sickness,time off work, and school. Now they are saying that they will have a new shack out. That’s funny:)here’s the trust? How do they expect people to go back to your product and they want even compensate them properly. They should be sued and forced to pay the right way. That’s exactly what I am doing with proof to prove it!!!!

MACHE
Wow!!!!!! This makes sooo much since now! Here I am thinking I’m just eating the wrong foods and that my tolerance for certain things had changed since I turned 30, but it was the Slimfast all along! I have been using Slimfast products mainly the ready to go drinks for about 8 years off and on but more on…..it has helped with weight loss and maintenance. When I would drink the Slimfast I would experience constant bathroom trips, stomach bloating and discomfort and headaches. I’m so angry only GOD knows what the bacteria has done since I have been such a faithful customer for so long. This really sucks!

debra
I am a 52 year old women that has used slimfast off and on for years, I got the cramps and tummy ache as well,,, I had 23 cans of this stuff i had to dump and have not heard a word for the company as of yet, I understand these things happen, But I thought i had a flu and then i hear its the slim fast i drank,,, Not good,,,,,, Has anyone heard from the company at all? I just want my money back,,, I am sorta pissed at this point that i havent received a letter to say hey i am sorry you got sick off our product..

Pam
I have been a slim fast consumer for many years without any side effects until recently! In November I suddenly became sick with nausea vomiting and diarrhea. I thought it had to do with a persisting acid reflex problem that I have. But I also knew that my medication for that always took care of it. But still you know if you have this problem you always think… what did I eat… and what could it have been? Plus after weeks of feeling this way, you think, could it be from the stress at work making me feel this way? So I never associated it with drinking slim fast, even after loosing a day of work!!! Until I heard about the recall on TV!!! After calling Unilever and reporting my systems (to a computer avatar) and telling them about my loss of time at work…I’m sure that was deleted! I finally received a whapping check for $4.25. This is not acceptable! TWO WEEKS of feeling like CRAP and that’s putting it nicely, plus loosing a day of work. Thanks Slim Fast! What a way to lost weight!!!

Barbara
I have 13 cans of Slim Fast and the receipts to prove this. I called Slim Fast when I heard about the recall and today I received a check for $10.20. Apparently this is the amt. they refund as I have checked on line. This is unacceptable . Besides making us sick they are now not even giving us a correct refund.

Sarah
Let’s give this company a break. This was a voluntary recall and I feel tIhat every step has been taken to find the source of the contamination.I dumped 18 cans and have not been reimbursed,but I am thankful that I did not suffer any ill effects. In the meantime I have been drinking Walmart’s Equate brand and it is pretty good.

Sarah
Let’s give this company a break. This was a voluntary recall and I feel tIhat every step has been taken to find the source of the contamination.I dumped 18 cans and have not been reimbursted,but I am thankful that I did not suffer any ill effects. In the meantime I have been drinking Walmart’s Equate brand and it is pretty good.

DEBBIE
I HAVE DRANK SLIMFAST FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, EVEN AFTER THE RECALL WITH NO ILL EFFECTS AND KNOW OTHERS WHO DID TOO. IF WE KNEW THE TRUTH PROBABLY ALL CAN GOODS SHOULD BE RECALLED FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT, I WANT MY CAPPUCCINO SLIMFAST BACK. PLEASE HURRY AND CLEAN UP THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES YOU DRINK SLIMFAST IT WILL CAUSE SOME STOMACH PROBLEMS, I THINK IT IS JUST THAT YOUR BODY IS NOT USE TO ALL THE VITAMINS AND MINERALS.

StarGee
Daddy Mack, when did you call for a refund?

Doesmon
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE !!! What is the truth behind the recall ?? Where/how did contamination take place ?? The lack of info – no new supply date – 50 days after recall – leaves these answers conspicuous by their absence There is no relevant info on;one at all -WHAT IS GOING ON ?

Mary
I too had the morning nausea after drinking the product. I too, had the “bathroom issues” by mid-day. I do not believe that Sim Fast did anything other than make a mistake. Are we all not human people? While I thought the comment just before mine, a bit harsh in the words chosen, come on, he is right. Had this been a serious bacteria that caused us anymore than it did….fine. Sue away. But please, get a little perspective on this. I just sent in my request for reimbusement. If I get back what I paid for it, we are even. With all due respects and deepest sympathies to the woman who posted about losing her unborn child, I do hope that you have seen a doctor and questioned the truth about your loss. God bless you.

Daddy Mack
First of all I bet over 80 percent of the people commenting on here are 100 lb people pretending like they drink slim-fast so they can try and get a quick buck. LET ME TELL YOU THAT SLIM FAST IS ONLY PAYING .29 CENTS PER CAN FOR YOUR REFUNDS!!!!! I have already received my check for the 35 cans that I threw away and the check was written for $10.20 So don’t be expecting a big pay day morons.

Anntoninette
The makers and manufacturers of slim fast are a joke and are going to become very broke. They make all these promises about a refund. I was sick, missed school, and was promised a refund in December now its dam near Febuary, still no refund I dont know about the rest of you but Im getting a lawyer. Has anyone received a refund and if so how much?

Romanda
I don’t know why I’m just hearing about this. I hate to be the last to know that I was having all these symptom that I’m reading about above. I even thought I might be pregnant because with the diarrhea it also felt as if something was moving in my stomach and I could actually see it! but I just thought it was nerves. I don’t have haealth insurance and I don’ t like hospitals, so I self medicated. I still have 2 cans in my refrigerator.

S.M.
I didn’t even know there was a recall until I went to the store on Jan. 16 to buy some fore and was told they had all been pulled off the shelf. No one in the store would tell me why. In any event, I have been drinking this stuff intermittently for the last 6 weeks and did not have one episode. Since the last 5 were okay, I’m inclined to go ahead and drink the last one – but probably won’t!

cindy
Yes I had the same symptoms but did anyone find out what kind of bacteria was in them? What kind of medicatons they had to take I heard some people had H Pilori is that true?

amelia
i drank some slim fast and was wondering after 3 hrs was i catching the flu because i had dirreah my stomach was crapping and started vomiting. my family ask did i want to go to the hospitial i thought i was the only one but i see that i am not. when will any thing be safe for the consumer because almost all of the products that we depend on are contaminated. i would have never guessed it would have been the slim fast. i thought it was swin flu

Katheryn
i experienced weakness, extreme ongoing headaches, sensitivity to touch, body aches, fever, heartburn, shortness of breath, faintness, vision blurring, stomach pain, pain in my uterus, and nausea. also extreme back, neck, shoulder, leg pain brought on by the other symptoms. the suffering lasted 6 days. if anyone has any information on how to proceed with the class action lawsuit, please let me know. i found the connection today( i dont watch the news so i did not know about the recall and bj never sent me any letters) when i started to feel better and drank a shake this morning. within an hour i started to experience all of the above symptoms. last week, when i started to feel the symptoms, i had drank 2 cans. i stopped when i got sick, only driking soup believing it was a severe flu. when i called slimfast, the lady tried to convince me that all of my other symptoms where not consistent with the nasuea, vomitting, and diareah and i probably had something else. if anyone has my multiple severe symptoms, u are not alone. do not let them convince u otherwise. once again, anyone with any information about the class action lawsuit please contact me. it was the worst 6 days of my life…

Lauren
Where is our refund? I haven’t dumped my cans out before I have a refund in my hand……………………….

Led Zeppelin
I had a slim fast thanksgiving morning with some oatmeal to give me energy to play football. After football head to the thanksgiving feast but could not eat as I felt ill. I went upstairs and puked up some perfectly good turkey. I puked the rest of the night and crapped all over a nice comforter. I puked and had nothing in my stomach at all. It was horrible. My stomach never has felt right since. Nobody could figure out what made me sick…early December rolls around and Slim fast announces a recall…10 pukes and 8 craps too late! Called them up and left my name and number..no one has called back. I still have the other cans and if they don’t call back soon I will have them tested to see if they are contaminated and then I’ll sue.

maggie
After drinking a can of slim-fast I became extremely sick nauseated,stomach pain ,Headache , my doctor had recommended for me to get some protein and I took slim-fast to give all that extra protein I needed for my baby , you see I was 5 month pregnant my baby died inside me . thank you slim-fast for all the pain you have cost me and my family!!!!! There is no way that you can possibly reimburse me for the loss of my unborn son! Your negligence has left a void that can never be filled!

Kim
Bought a case of slimfast from a local grocery store in the middle of October 2009 . Drank a can .. and ended up with a foul smelling gas , coming out both ends , and also upset stomach for about a week. I stopped drinking it after about the 3rd can , figureing it was only a case of the stomach flu. Then after speaking to my firefighter/emt friend , he told me I had a case of samonella posioning ( the culprit for the foul smell that seemed to surround me ) I even tried returning the slim fast as I knew that it had to be it as I had not changed my diet and my family and i had all ate the same things ( besides the slimfast) Wish now I would have let slimfast know as they would have maybe taken them off the shelves sooner.

Tameta
Wow….I just heard about this just now! I still have some left in my fridge, my mother consumed several as well. One never knows why they become sick during the day. Now it makes sense!

ms.tubbs
I have been dranking slim fast for more than a year now every day, I were dranking it before but stoped,I thought cramping and going to the bath room were just part of loosing the weight I did not know it were harming me. yes I lost the weight because I stayed in the bathroom all the time.untill my sister called me last month and told me to stop dranking it because their were a recall on it . now I would like to know more about this bacteria and this law suit

Ms. Vall
OMGoodness! What he heck is going on? What is happening to all of us is too disturbing and disgusting. My personal problems are many, as yours are. I do not want to share the details. I’m sure you can imagine. So, who do we call for this law suit that is supposed to be opened for us? I would not throw anything away. Get your illness proof from the Dr. (if you went) or letters from people that knew you were ill. There are too many of us that depend on suppliment drinks, and It is out -rageious that this highly public company would be so negligent. oooo!

joyce
I to was affected by this sickness from slimfast. I was trying the slimfast diet and i drank @ less 3 cans a day. by the time i had gotten to work i was sick sick sick.i pased out went to the hospital and not once did i think it was from me drinking slimfast. I had to take of of work and luckly my boss understood . i have spent a lot of money on this product that has really mesed me up mentally, physically and financaily please give me answers as to whats next …

Tina
I became extremely sick after drinking a can of slim fast. I contacted the company in July of this year regarding the sickness and I sent a can for testing….do you think I have received results of this testing–of course not. Did I dispose of the rest of my product as they requested Nope. If there is a civil suit then I am in for it as well.

Dana
I have been drinking slim fast since August of 2009. In November I started drinking the chocolate shakes regularly. On November 12, 2009, I drank a slim-fast while I was at work. Immediately after finishing the can, I was nauseated and had a severe headache and stomach pains. I passed out from the pain and had a seizure on the floor of my job. I was then rushed by ambulance to the ER where they told me they had no idea what happened and all tests were clear. EEG,EKG, spinal tap ect. I could not fathom my symptoms being from SlimFast. 1 week after my first episode, it happened again. I had severe headache, nausea, vomiting and bloody stool. I passed out and had another seizure. 2 weeks later, I had another episode. All three occurrences had happened after drinking slim-fast. I have spoken with my PCP and she concurs with me and I have also contacted a lawyer in regards to the situation. I have several thousand dollars in hospital bills and I lost my job due to my episodes. I am extremely upset and frustrated with this situation and I want answers!

michelle
At this point I have dumped out all of my 114 cans of slimfast as the company told me to do and do you think I’ve heard a word from them about the refund, no.

Keokie
I am so pissed. My teenage daughter has also been taking Slim Fast, because of that she has had to miss school and was going for the perfect attendance award for the third year in a row. I thought it was safe for her

Dorothy
I have used Slim Fast Drinks for more than 30 years, I have been using this product as my main scource of food intake for breakfast every day because of the vitamins and sorce of fiber that it contains. Last winter 2008 I became so extremly ill with throwing up I ended up in the Fort Atkinson Hospital (in Wisconsin)for 4 days. Test after test they could not solve what was wrong. If it wasn’t for interveinus fluids I would have died.

ashley
11/27/2009 i took sick i did not what was wrong with me i was vommiting ,dirreah; just worn down i had not ate i had a slimfast when i went to the doctor he told me that i had been food poision the only thing that i could think of was the slimfast i did not think it was it because i drank it daily but i am said to know that it was the slimfast so take of it cause i love slimfast.

albert
I take the slim fast as directed, in one hour I have to throw up and I have the runs.

GWENDOLYN
I WAS ACTUALLY AT MY SISTER HOUSE AND WE WERE GOING KICKBOXING, BEFORE I LEFT HOME I DRINK A SLIM FAST DRINK AND GO VERY NASEA AND STOMACH STARTED TO BUBBLE AND WE DID GO TO KICKBOXING I JUST LAID DOWN.

M. YARBOUGH
i was sick to my stomach on December 11th, with vomiting and diarrea, i could not eat for a week

elliott
Oh my God! i bought two 6 paks of french vanilla about 3 and a half weeks ago and have gone through them all. Figuring i was sick with the flu due to incredible stomach pain and nausea and of course diarhea i drank more slim fast ready to go, all the while making a bad situation worse. ive had several dr. visits, blood tests, medications and a visit to the er. im quite pissed. this is just completely unacceptable.

Teresa
Bummer. I got some really bad cramps and felt weird and taught maybe my stomach was just sensitive to the drink and I was giving it to a friend and she said she didn’t want them because they make her sick. So, I just put them in the trash and I waisted my money.

R.Dobson
I went to visit my Mom and Dad, and my mom suddenly turned ill after i arrived. My and my Dad were shopping at the walmart and saw a sign regarding the recall, and it hit like a ton of bricks. Sure enough, mama had been drinking them the night before i arrived, and is feeling fine now. Poured it all out and got her a different brand, which she’s scared to drink now. Make good paper weights, i guess.

T
I’d drank strawberry slim fast for about 3 days before Thanksgiving in order to be able to eat like i wanted to for the holidays, well after the 1st can my stomach started hurting but I paid no attention to thinking it may be me just tripping because I never drank this before & maybe thats how you loose the weight, well my 2nd day it get worse stomach pain cramping & vomiting by the 3rd day I was sick as a dog, diarrhea, vomiting, & no sleep.

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