'World's strongest' Death Wish Coffee recalls products over fatal botulism risk

A New York drinks brand which boasts of selling the world's strongest coffee is recalling its entire canned range after tests revealed there was potential for the drink to contain a deadly toxin that causes botulism.

Death Wish Coffee have told those who have their cans of Death Wish Nitro Cold Brew to "go ahead and get rid" after specialist tests showed there was a "remote" chance that the production process could present a risk of clostridium botulinum.

The bacteria can cause the rare illness botulism but the company say that the recall only affects the Nitro cold brew range at present.

The firm say that no illnesses have been reported but they plan to "err on the side of caution" by recalling the drinks and have offered full refunds.

The product was been removed from the company's online store and from the shelves of US retailers Price Chopper, Market 32, and Healthy Living Market & Café, say the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Botulism is a rare illness that attacks the nervous system and can cause weakness, dizziness, double vision and difficulty speaking or swallowing, and in the worst cases can be potentially fatal.

In a statement, Death Wish Coffee owner Mike Brown said: "We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause our customers and our retail partners, but we believe this is the right precautionary measure to take."

In the product recall notice, the firm told consumers: "Death Wish has undergone a rigorous, lengthy process with an independent, process authority to test the shelf-life, stability and safety of the Nitro Cold Brew coffee.

"After almost four months of ongoing tests, the Nitro Cold Brew has shown no degradation of quality or shelf stability at all.

"However, in order to ensure industry-leading safety of Death Wish's cold brew products, a recommendation has been made to add a further step in the manufacturing process behind the Nitro Cold Brew."

Anyone experiencing any of the above symptoms is advised to seek medical attention.

Death Wish Coffee came to prominence after claiming that they produced the world's strongest coffee in an advertisement during the 2016 Superbowl.