Food botulism, a serious neurological condition, occurs after eating food contaminated with toxins from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Certain foods are particularly at risk.
- Botulism is a serious neurological condition caused by the toxin of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
- Botulism is fatal in 5 to 10% of cases.
- Vacuum-packed and canned foods are most commonly contaminated with the toxin.
Five people were hospitalized in intensive care in Tours on the weekend of September 7 and 8 after contracting food botulism following the consumption of homemade canned wild garlic pesto. However, the list of foods that can be contaminated by the toxins of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria can be quite long.
Foods most commonly implicated in botulism
Clostridium botulinum bacteria thrive and produce their toxins when they are in environments with very low oxygen levels. This is why canned and vacuum-packed products are major sources of contamination.
Health authorities particularly warn against:
- poorly sterilized family preserves;
- canned vegetables: asparagus, green beans, carrots, peppers, Greek olives, pumpkin, tapenade, etc.;
- canned meat: terrine, pâté;
- sausages and dry cured meats: in particular hams homemade or even dried or smoked fish…;
- ready meals: toxins can develop if preservation processes are insufficient or poorly done.
“The foods in question differ from country to country and reflect local consumption habits and storage procedures.”specifies WHO.
In addition, if the can or jar has a swollen lid, if there is no noise when opening it, or if the food has an abnormal color or odor, caution is advised. It is better to throw away the dish. Furthermore, simple boiling is not enough to eliminate bacterial spores or botulinum toxins.because They have strong heat resistance.
Botulism: No honey for children under one year old
Honey is also something to be wary of, especially if you have small children. Spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum are present everywhere in the environment in soil, dust, water. Bees can carry them on them and contaminate the honey they produce.
Honey containing the spores can then cause infant botulism. Affecting the nervous system, the disease develops mainly in children under one year old.
Babies are particularly susceptible to this infection because their immune system is not yet strong enough to fight off attacks by pathogens. The C. botulinum spores present in honey can thus develop in the intestine, and produce a toxin responsible for the disease. This is why all health authorities “absolutely” advise against giving honey to children under one year old.
“After a year, the child’s defenses are more effective and allow him to eliminate the spores by himself”adds ANSES on its website.
However, botulism remains a rare disease. In France, there are around ten outbreaks per year, most often involving one to three patients.
