Walker's Wine Juice LLC of Forestville, NY, is recalling all lots of its pumpkin juice across 13 states after New York food inspectors found the product's pH was too high for the company's hot-fill process to eliminate botulism risk.

The recall covers every container size the company sells:

• 2.5-gallon bag-in-box and 5-gallon hot pack, labeled "pumpkin" — all lots
• 30-, 60- and 275-gallon bulk containers, tagged "pumpkin" — all lots

Where did the product go?

Distribution was split between retail and commercial channels. Walker's sold the juice through its own retail store in New York and shipped it directly to a limited number of commercial wineries in 12 states: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

What did inspectors find?

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets food inspectors discovered the problem. Testing showed the pumpkin juice's pH was too high to be safely processed under Walker's scheduled "hot fill" process. Because of that, regulators determined no adequate kill step was used to address potential microbiological hazards — the condition that allows Clostridium botulinum spores to survive and produce toxin.

Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning. Symptoms include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, and trouble speaking or swallowing. Difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, abdominal distension and constipation can also occur. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

For wineries that received bulk pumpkin juice, the recall is a process-control issue as much as a safety one: product held in 30- to 275-gallon containers and blended into fermentation batches would need to be accounted for under the all-lots scope of the recall. Operators who purchased pumpkin juice from Walker's should verify lot documentation with the company and hold any unused product pending disposition instructions.