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Counter food-borne botulism with caution, vigilance
LITTLE ROCK – Botulism these days is usually relegated to two areas:
Botox injections and bioterrorism. However, botulism also is a form of severe
food poisoning that, although rare, can happen to anyone from infants to the
elderly.
"When botulism is contracted through food, it’s often from home-preserved,
canned food items or dishes left out at room temperature for too long,"
explains Dr. Russ Kennedy, health and aging specialist with the University of
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. "There are about 10 to 30 outbreaks
of food-borne botulism each year in the United States, and sausages, canned
vegetables, and meat and seafood products are the most frequent carriers in
these instances."
Food-borne botulism cannot be spread from human to human, but it can affect
an entire family if they eat the same dish containing the toxin.
"It’s uncommon that botulism occurs through food, but it can happen
and can be deadly if not caught immediately and treated vigorously," Kennedy
says. "Since botulism is a toxin that affects the nervous system, the
person who has contracted it may experience drooping eyelids, or the eyes may
move uncontrollably, and he or she may experience paralysis as the muscles are
affected."
Other symptoms include double and/or blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty
swallowing, dry mouth, muscle weakness that always descends through the body
from the shoulders first then to the upper arms, on to the lower arms, thighs,
calves and so on. Muscles that aid in breathing also can be affected and may
cause the person with Botulism to stop breathing altogether.
In general, symptoms of food-borne botulism occur 18 to 36 hours after food
contaminated with the toxin is eaten, although signs of the illness can begin
as soon as six hours and as long as two weeks after exposure.
"The best way to manage botulism is to avoid it altogether," Kennedy
notes. "The toxin can be destroyed if food is boiled at 212 degrees Fahrenheit
for 10 minutes or more. Adequate and sustained heating of food to proper temperatures
will help minimize the chances for botulism to grow, and refrigerating food
immediately after eating, instead of leaving it out at room temperature for
long periods of time, will help as well. And if you can produce or preserve
other food items at home, be sure to sterilize all equipment and process thoroughly
to eliminate the bacteria that can cause the botulism toxin to multiply."
If you suspect someone has contracted botulism poisoning, rush him or her to
the emergency room immediately. An antitoxin for botulism is available through
the Centers for Disease Control and will reduce the severity of the symptoms.
It’s vital that the antitoxin be administered in the early stages of the
disease so the patient will have a better chance at full recovery.
For more information about health, food safety and nutrition, visit extension's
Web site, www.uaex.edu, or contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative
Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
By: Kelli Reep
For the Cooperative Extension Service
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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