4 cases of botulism have been confirmed and 2 probable with a common link of consumption in the previous days of packaged potato omelet purchased from different supermarkets. The cases have occurred in several autonomous communities.
The public health services of the communities and autonomous cities are informed to strengthen early detection in the event of the appearance of new cases with suspicion of botulism should they occur.
The Spanish Food Safety Agency (AESAN) has transferred all the available information to the contact points of the autonomous communities so that they can carry out the relevant investigations in relation to the products that could have been consumed in some of the cases.
In at least three of the confirmed cases and one of the probable ones, the company that makes the tortillas is the same. To date, no evidence has been established, neither in the products nor in the processes, that relate cause and effect. However, investigations are continuing with the collaboration of the production company.
Investigations are being carried out in relation to the possibility that there is any product on the market that is not safe or if there are deviations in the processes of production, distribution, storage or transport that justify the existence of this risk.
It is public knowledge that some distribution chain, applying the precautionary principle and in the face of the lack of certainties, has decided to withdraw from sale the products to which the epidemiological surveys have pointed, while waiting for the investigations to progress.
In any case, we want to remind consumers of the importance, especially at this time of year due to the heat, of preserving food products at the storage temperatures indicated on the labeling and following the instructions for use indicated by the manufacturers, already which guarantee the safety of products for which an expiration date is established.
The case of packaged potato tortillas is particularly important, as one can get the false impression that they are like canned foods, which have thermal stability, and keeping them unrefrigerated at the current room temperature can lead to health problems after consumption
When new information becomes available in relation to this matter, this news will be updated.
FoodWorld 