WASHINGTON (AFP) - Cans of a popular, ready-to-drink weight loss product are being recalled in the United States after tests showed the liquid meals could be tainted with bacteria, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

Unilever United States announced that it was recalling "all Slim-Fast ready-to-drink products in cans, due to the possibility of contamination with Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism which may cause diarrhea and possibly nausea and/or vomiting."

The recall involves all Slim-Fast ready-to-drink products in cans regardless of flavor, sell-by date, or lot number, but not other Slim-Fast products such as meal bars or powder, Unilever said.

No one was available at Unilever to say how many cans of Slim-Fast were involved in the recall, but the company said in a statement that the recall was nationwide and concerned not only wholesale and retail outlets but also consumers who might have cans of the drink at home.