Category Archives: Clostridium botulinum

USA – Botulism: 29 confirmed foodborne cases in the US in 2016, most linked to Mississippi outbreak

Posted on April 2, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today 

 

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published the National Botulism Surveillance Summary for 2016 and reported 29 confirmed foodborne botulism cases that year.  Among the foodborne cases, 23 were associated with three outbreaks in three states; the remaining six cases were sporadic.

Sixty-two percent of the cases (18) were from a Mississippi outbreak associated with illicitly produced alcohol, known as “pruno” or “hooch”, in a federal correctional facility.

Other states reporting cases include Alaska- two cases, one linked to consumption of beaver tail and the other fish heads and seal oil. California reported three cases- one linked to commercial grain and vegetable product and two from unknown source.

Oklahoma saw two cases- one linked to the Mississippi outbreak and one linked to home canned food. Oregon reported one case linked to home-canned pickled vegetables and Texas saw one case linked to tamales.

Finally, Washington saw two cases linked to home canned fish.

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Posted in Clostridium botulinum, outbreak, Uncategorized

USA – Alaska confirms botulism case linked to Native Salad served at Bethel festival

Posted on March 29, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today 

 

The Alaska Section of Epidemiology has confirmed a case of botulism in an adult patient who ate Native Salad at the Cama-i Dance Festival in Bethel, March 16-18, 2018. Bethel is a city located near the west coast of Alaska, approximately 400 miles west of Anchorage.

The Alaska State Public Health Lab received a sample of the Native Salad consumed by the patient and it tested presumptive positive for botulism. Botulism toxin is produced from a certain bacteria that is found in the environment. Toxin production is more likely under certain conditions, like no oxygen or warm temperatures, which could be present during preparation or later during storage of that food.

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Posted in Clostridium botulinum, Food Illness, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Uncategorized

Canada – Updated Food Recall Warning – Imperial Caviar & Seafood brand Whitefish Roe and VIP Caviar Club brand Salmon Roe recalled due to potential presence of dangerous bacteria

Posted on January 11, 2018 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Recall details

Ottawa, January 10, 2018 – The food recall warning issued on January 3, 2018 has been updated to include additional distribution information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.

Imperial Caviar & Seafood is recalling Imperial Caviar & Seafood brand Whitefish Roe and VIP Caviar Club brand Salmon Roe from the marketplace because they may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
VIP Caviar Club Salmon Roe 50 g 27017-02 BB: 27-SEP-18 1 86866 90024 8
VIP Caviar Club Salmon Roe 50 g 19417-01 BB: 13-07-2018 1 86866 90024 8
Imperial Caviar & Seafood Whitefish Roe 50 g 17917-02 BB: 28-JUN-2018 1 86866 90027 9

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Posted in CFIA, Clostridium botulinum, Recall, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Clostridium botulinum – Dried Beef – Canned Vegetables

Posted on December 22, 2017 by | Leave a comment

kswfoodworld food safety poisoning

RASFF-suspicion of botulinum toxin in dried beef from Sweden in Sweden

RASFF-suspicion of Clostridium botulinum in canned vegetables from Turkey in France

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Posted in Clostridium botulinum, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, RASFF, Uncategorized

Research – Spores for thought: Study provides new insights into Clostridium spores and Bacteria shown to suppress their antibiotic-resistant cousins

Posted on May 14, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily closta

Researchers have established how clostridia bacteria emerge from spores. This could help them understand how these bacteria germinate and go on to produce the deadly toxin responsible for botulism, a lethal form of food poisoning, or cause food spoilage.

Science Daily

Researchers studying a dangerous type of bacteria have discovered that the bacteria have the ability to block both their own growth and the growth of their antibiotic-resistant mutants. The discovery might lead to better ways to fight a class of bacteria that have contributed to a growing public health crisis by becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatments.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum

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USA – Recall – Salted Fish – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on April 1, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Botulism blog Clost

Lao Thai Nam Corp., of Dallas, Texas is recalling Number One Sompa Salted Fish, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Pathogen, Recall

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Canada – Bacon Spread Recall- Clostridium botulinum

Posted on February 5, 2014 by | Leave a comment

CFIACIFA

Kitchen by Brad Smoliak is recalling Bacon spread from the marketplace because it may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

The following product has been sold in Alberta.

 Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Kitchen by Brad Smoliak Bacon by brad smoliak 125 g or 125 ml Best Before 14 MA 14 and 14 JL 14 6 27843 01328 0

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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UK – Honey and Botulism

Posted on January 27, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Botulism BlogClost

Two British babies have contracted a rare life-threatening disease triggered by eating honey.

The boys, aged three months and five months, had to be put on life-support machines suffering from infant botulism.

Both had been feeding badly and showed typical symptoms – a floppy head, drooping eyelids and constipation. They were cured only after medication costing £50,000 a dose was flown in from America.

The incidents, confirmed last week, have prompted public health chiefs to warn that infants under one should not be given honey.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

Canada – CFIA Recall – Liver Pate – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on January 15, 2014 by | Leave a comment

CFIACIFA

Webbers Food is recalling “Hausmacher” liver pâté from the marketplace because it may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

The following product has been sold in glass jars with no label only from November 13, 2013 to December 5, 2013, inclusively, at the following locations in Nova Scotia:

  • Hammonds Plains Farmers’ Market, Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia
  • Lunenburg Farmers’ Market, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
N/A “Hausmacher” liver pâté N/A N/A N/A
 What you should do
Check to see if you have recalled product in your home. Recalled product should be thrown out.

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, blurred or double vision, dry mouth, respiratory failure and paralysis. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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UK – Food Standards Agency Recall – Possible Clostridium Issue

Posted on December 12, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FSAfood_standards_agency_logo

Village Park Meats Ltd recalls batches of its vacuum packed, cooked, sliced meats due to inadequate controlling factors to prevent growth of Clostridium botulinum.

During an inspection it was established that an extended shelf-life was being applied to all vacuum packed cooked meats, despite the fact that production records indicated a 10-day shelf-life was being applied.  Due to inadequate controlling factors to prevent growth and toxin production of Clostridium botulinum, a recall is being carried out as a precautionary measure. Village Park Meats Ltd has recalled all affected batches detailed in the link above.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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