How To Protect Yourself From Botulism
Linda Harris, a food safety microbiologist at UC Davis, offers advice on how to avoid the toxin following a local outbreak.
Sacramento Bee:
Botulism Outbreaks Usually Tied To Home Canning, UC Davis Expert Says
A major outbreak of botulism, a rare type of food poisoning, struck 10 people in Northern California over the last month, killing one Antioch man. Sacramento County health officials traced the illness to a gas station in Walnut Grove, where the victims were sickened after eating nacho cheese sauce from a dispenser. Botulism is caused by a dangerous nerve toxin created when a bacteria called clostridium botulinum multiplies in food. Symptoms begin with vomiting and blurred vision followed by a slow paralysis that can lead to respiratory failure if an antitoxin is not administered in time. (Caiola, 6/5)