Death Wish Coffee recalls canned range over potential botulism risk

New York firm Death Wish Coffee has recalled a cold coffee range after tests showed there was potential for the drink to contain a deadly toxin.

Specialist tests showed there was a "remote" chance, the company said, that its production process for the Nitro cold brew range could present a risk of clostridium botulinum, which can cause the rare illness botulism.

It said no illnesses had been reported but that it wanted to "err on the side of caution" by recalling the product.

It has warned anyone who might have cans of the coffee at home to "go ahead and get rid".

Botulism is a rare and potentially fatal illness which attacks the nervous system and can cause muscle weakness and difficulty breathing.

In a statement, Death Wish Coffee owner Mike Brown said customer safety was "of paramount importance" to the firm.

"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," he said.

In the product recall notice, the company said: "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."

The company said it would refund customers who have bought the product.

The New York coffee brand, which claims to sell the "world's strongest coffee", made a name for itself following a commercial during the 2016 Super Bowl.