Botulism is a dangerous infectious disease that develops when bacteria-produced botulinum toxins enter the human body.

Causes of botulism

Main sources of botulinum toxin are homemade canned foods. It is important to note that the disease is not caused by the product per se but by its incorrect preparation – not washing or cleaning it properly, inadequate jar/can sterilization (in the case of canning).

It is worthy to mention that the botulism-causing bacteria emit a large amount of gas that manifests itself in the form of swollen lids after jars have been sealed, but at the same time the smell and the appearance of the product do not change.

Botulism symptoms

Symptoms of intoxication during botulism develop rapidly. Incubation period lasts 2-6 hours and, rarely, several days, after which the first symptoms appear: abdominal pain, diarrhea (3-5 times a day), elevated temperature – up to 37-37.6 °С, vomiting. If medical assistance is not provided in a timely manner, the poison will affect the nervous system, paralyzing muscles and other organs.

Other botulism symptoms may include:

Nausea;

Vision acuity loss: blurry vision, crossed eyes, difficulty focusing, double vision, dilated pupils;

Blurred speech, changes in voice tone;

General feeling of weakness;

Difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, difficulty moving the tongue;

Tachycardia, dyspnea;

Elevated blood pressure;

Bloating, constipation (appears after several bouts of diarrhea);

Pallid skin;

Problems with urination (delays).

Closer to the end of the day, temperature normalizes and excess activity of the intestinal-digestive tract is replaced by constipation. These “improvements” should not mislead you, you must contact a physician.

Botulism classification

Botulism is classified according to etiology. Thus, the following forms are distinguished.

Foodborne botulism

Arises after consuming food products contaminated with bacteria (Clostridium botulinum) and the spores it produces, i.e., toxins.

Infant botulism. This disease form is common in children under 6 months. Toxins enter the body as a result of poor hygiene or sanitation at a child’s home – eating food with dirty hands or swallowing dirty food and other items, home dust. Symptoms of infant botulism include strong, hoarse crying, weakness, neck muscle weakness, lack of appetite, problems with stool, and diminished suck and gag reflexes.

Botulism prevention

Botulism can be prevented by observing the following rules and recommendations:

¾    Before use, it is necessary to thoroughly wash and clean food products, this is particularly important for products that will be canned.

¾    Follow the rules of canning food. Jars and lids must be thoroughly washed and disinfected with boiling water. Before sealing, lids must be disinfected with boiling water.

¾    Use only trusted recipes for food preparation, particularly for canning.

¾    Due to their specific storage requirements, doctors do not recommend canning the following products at home – mushrooms, fish, meat, and greens.

¾    Do not consume overripe, bad or expired food products.

¾    Before use, clean all produce with boiling water, if possible.

¾    Food products that cannot be disinfected thermally – fish and sausage – should be stored at a temperature not higher than 10°С.

¾    It is strongly recommended NOT to buy canned foods from street vendors. Also, pay attention to the manufacturer of canned products you buy in stores since many modern businesses have long started choosing profit over scruples.

¾    Bulging cans/jars with swollen lids with food should be destroyed together with their contents.

¾    Observe personal hygiene rules.

¾    If one family member falls sick, all people who have been eating the same food should get preventive serum and stay under medical supervision for 10 days. Dishes/eating utensils must be disinfected.

¾    If your skin is damaged, disinfect the wound; do not leave it as it is. This will minimize the risks of botulism toxins entering your body and other no less hazardous infections.

Important! Contaminated food in cans/jars, even if the lids are swollen, does not change its color, smell, appearance, or taste; therefore, it is not recommended to check the taste of food from bulging cans/ jars with swollen lids.