Pumpkin Juice Recalled by Walker’s Wine Juice LLC Over Botulism Risk

Walker’s Wine Juice LLC has issued a recall for its pumpkin juice following concerns about potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism. The recall, announced on April 1, 2025, affects all lots of the product and includes juice distributed both at the company’s retail store in Forestville, New York, and to several commercial wineries across 13 states.

The affected juice was distributed in multiple container sizes: 2.5-gallon and 5-gallon bags labeled “pumpkin,” as well as 30-, 60-, and 275-gallon bulk containers tagged “pumpkin.” All production lots are included in the recall. Although no illnesses have been reported so far, the recall was initiated after an inspection by New York State agriculture officials determined that the pumpkin juice’s pH levels were too high to safely meet the company’s “hot fill” schedule processing standards. The inspection concluded that no sufficient heat-based process, or “kill step,” had been applied to eliminate possible microbial threats.

Botulism is a severe and potentially fatal form of food poisoning. Symptoms can include dizziness, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking or swallowing, muscle weakness, abdominal issues, and respiratory problems. Health officials urge anyone experiencing these symptoms after consuming the juice to seek immediate medical attention.

The company is directing customers to contact Walker’s Wine Juice for guidance on how to dispose of the product safely and to explore potential reimbursement options. Distribution of the product included wineries and retailers in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Consumers are advised not to use the product under any circumstance.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from a press release issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Walker’s Wine Juice LLC.

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