Cans of food that were part of a massive national recall last week because of a botulism scare may still be on the shelves of some Utah stores and homes.

In a check Thursday of 50 stores across Utah, inspectors from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food found canned goods that were among the more than 90 products included in a voluntary recall of foods produced by Castleberry's Food Co., said UDAF public information officer Larry Lewis.

"The breadth of this recall is so large that there could be tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of these products still out there," Lewis said. "It's difficult for the stores to identify these needle-in-a-haystack situations to find these products and get them off the shelves."

The recall affects a variety of canned products including stews, meats and sauces. The company issued a recall of 10 products July 18 when four people were hospitalized after eating Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce, according to The Associated Press. The list was expanded July 21 to include more than 90 products.

Lewis said it is unclear how many of the products are carried by Utah stores, and he declined to say which stores were found to still have the products on their shelves. Officials at some Utah stores confirmed they had carried at least four of the items — 15-ounce cans of Kroger Chili Without Beans, Kroger Chili With Beans, Kroger Beef Stew and Castleberry's Beef Stew.

Lewis said people should check the complete list — which can be found on the company's Web site — and ensure they don't open or consume any of the recalled foods. People should also check their long-term food storage supplies, he said.

Anyone who has the recalled cans should leave them unopened, double-bag them and put them in an outside garbage bag for non-recyclables, according to the USDA. Consumers can request a refund through the company's Web site.

None of the stores where the foods were found are being cited, but UDAF officials are working to help all stores remove them.

The recalled foods came from a Castleberry's plant in Augusta, Ga., and were shipped to 23 states.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness that can be fatal if untreated. No cases of botulism have been reported in Utah in connection with the recall, said Utah Department of Health representative Charla Haley.

"We've been really lucky," Haley said. "We're crossing our fingers."

A complete list of recalled products can be found at www.castleberrys.com/news_productrecall.asp. Consumers with questions about the recall can also contact the company at 800-203-4412.

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E-mail: dfelix@desnews.com