BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Sounds like a sci-fi movie; cans of food bursting because of something deadly growing in them. But it's not something alien, it's home-grown botulism.

    The bursting cans were among those being held by Castleberry's Food Co., which last week announced a massive recall in the United States that now includes more than 90 potentially contaminated products, including chili sauces and dog foods.

    Four people have been sickened and hospitalized by the contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The recall covers potentially tens of millions of cans of food; officials fear the tally will grow.

    "We're not talking here about a bug that lands you in the bathroom for a few days with diarrhea. We're talking about a toxin that puts you in the intensive care unit," said Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's lead food safety expert. "This is foodborne illness with an extra kick in it, big time."

    FDA investigators believe Castleberry's failed to properly cook some or all the products, allowing the Clostridium botulinum bacteria to survive the canning process. Spot checks by the Food and Drug Administration and state officials are turning up recalled products for sale in convenience stores, gas stations and family-run groceries.

    The bacteria produce a toxin that causes botulism, a muscle-paralyzing disease. The bacteria thrive in moist, oxygen-free environments; inside canned food is a perfect place.

    As the bacteria grow and reproduce, they produce gases that can cause contaminated cans to swell and burst. Health officials say the extremely potent toxin can infect people if it is inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the eye or breaks in the skin.

    "The longer this stuff stays in the can, the worse it gets," Acheson said.

    (Agencies)