A bacteria that has been described as among the most toxic naturally occurring substances may have contaminated the beans that local Dillons stores use in making their Tri-Bean salad.

Kroger Company, the parent company of Dillons, announced a recall of the Tri-Bean Salad sold in the delis of its stores in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. Kroger operates stores under a variety of brands, including Dillons, Gerbes and Kroger. Officials with the four Lawrence Dillons stores will not comment on whether the salad was sold in their stores and are referring questions to its corporate headquarters.

Sheila Lowrie, a spokeswoman for Dillons, said it was impossible to determine whether any particular store carried the salad, because each store determines which products to feature in its deli case.

“But it was carried on the shelves of our stores in Kansas,” Lowrie said.

Customers are encouraged to immediately dispose of the product and then call their local store for a refund. They are encouraged to either keep the label off of the product or their receipt in order to expedite a refund, Lowrie said.

The green beans in the salad came from the New Era Canning Company and were part of a broader, nationwide recall of that company’s large cans, because some may have been contaminated with clostridium botulinum spores. Botulinum spores can grow and develop into the potentially fatal botulism disease.

Botulinum can be so toxic that it has been considered a possible terrorist’s weapon. However, the toxin can be safely used in minute quantities in cosmetic surgery. Lowrie said the company was encouraging customers to dispose of the product, “even if it does not look or appear spoiled.”

The recall has been voluntary. No one has reported illness because of the Dillons salad or the beans produced by the canning company.