Tag: Botulism

From The Mailbag: Botulism and Vacuum-Packed Fish

I received an email a couple of weeks ago from Pamela in Canada, who asked the following question:

“I live in Canada, in Toronto, and I’ve noticed that there have been two or maybe even three separate and apparently unrelated incidents here involving botulism in vacuum-packed fish in gourmet grocery stores. I think that at least in some cases, this is fish from other suppliers that the stores have simply repackaged. From my limited knowledge I also understand that botulism can flourish in an anaerobic environment – like that of a vacuum bag?? Which leads me to wonder….. Are vacuum bags safe? What’s going on here?”

I was reminded of Pamela’s question yesterday, courtesy of the latest food safety alert from FDA. Euphoria Fancy Food Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) is recalling Dried Bream (7.5-oz vacuum packed plastic bags; Product of Russia; No batch or date codes; UPC 7 930042 250954), which was found by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets to not have been properly eviscerated prior to processing.

Several US states – including New York – have banned the sale of uneviscerated preserved fish, because the spores of Clostridium botulinum are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than in any other part of the fish. New York State monitors for this hazard on a routine basis and issues an alert whenever it finds that uneviscerated or incompletely eviscerated fish are offered for sale. The state has posted three such alerts so far this year.

The hazard is not just academic. In April 2012, three people in the Greater Toronto (Ontario, Canada) area developed botulism after eating a traditional uneviscerated, salted and cured fish (fesikh) at a catered event. The fesikh was supplied by Lotus Catering and Fine Food in Toronto.

Fesikh is a traditional dish served as part of Egypt’s spring celebration, according to an article in the Egypt Independent. “The best fesikh,” the owner of a fish shop in Old Cairo told the reporter, “is made of grey mullet fish from either Bardawil Lake, or from Kafr al-Sheikh Governorate, and then left out in containers until distended. When it is sufficiently putrefied, salt is added and the fish are left to pickle for at least 40 days.”

Not all dried, smoked or preserved foods are encouraged to putrefy as part of their recipe. But, allowing the contents of the intestinal tract to remain inside the fish during its drying, salting, smoking or pickling steps is not a safe practice, even without the putrefaction step.

In addition to the fesikh health hazard alert, there have been two recalls of vacuum packaged fish in Canada in 2012 – both in Toronto. McEwan Gourmet Grocery Store recalled two brands of Smoked Salmon in April, and Pusateri’s Fine Foods recalled several different products in June. Unfortunately, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency did not explain why it thought that these products were potentially contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.

Pamela is correct – Clostridium botulinum loves a vacuum. Manufacturers who use vacuum-packaging as a means of extending the shelf life of a product must pay special attention to the processing and to the ingredients used to prevent this pathogen from growing. Nevertheless, the risk of contracting botulism from a correctly preserved and processed vacuum-packaged food is extremely low. Nor must a food be vacuum-packed in order to be the source of a botulism incident.

In 1978, a Colorado restaurant wrapped potatoes in foil, baked them, and allowed them to cool – still foil-wrapped – overnight without refrigeration. The next day, the potatoes were cut up to make potato salad. Twelve people developed botulism symptoms; seven of them were hospitalized. The temperature/time combination used to bake the potatoes was not enough to kill the Clostridium botulinum spores, and the ambient temperature cooling period allowed the microbe to germinate, grow, and produce its toxin in the tightly wrapped potatoes.

The bottom line is that food must be processed, stored and handled in a safe manner regardless of whether or not it is vacuum-packed. Or, as I recently told Food Safety News

Food safety is a farm-to-table responsibility, whether the table is in a family’s kitchen, a seniors’ residence dining hall, a school cafeteria or a five-star restaurant.

Botulism Update: All Gaudiano Products Recalled

Botulism is a big deal. It is a rare – and potentially deadly – form of food poisoning that is caused by a potent neurotoxin produced during the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

In October 2011, two members of the same Finnish household developed symptoms of botulism after consuming commercially produced pasteurized olives stuffed with almonds (Bio-Gaudiano Olives Stuffed with Almonds; product of Italy). One of the two victims died two weeks after being admitted to hospital. The second victim also was hospitalized, but survived. One other family member also tasted the olives, but only suffered from diarrhea. A fourth member of the household had no symptoms – and never sampled the olives.

Lab analysis of the stomach contents and the stool of both hospitalized victims revealed the presence of the gene for botulinum toxin type B. Lab tests of various food samples retrieved from the patients’ household found botulinum toxin type B in the remaining contents of the jar of olives. All other food samples were negative for the toxin.

Finland’s Food Safety Authority (EVIRA) conducted a trace-back investigation of the implicated olives, and the offending batches were recalled from the market. During the trace-back, investigators found some leaking jars of Bio-Gaudiano olives; the contents of some jars were obviously spoiled. As a result, the Italian manufacturer withdrew all production batches of Bio-Gaudiano Olives Stuffed with Almonds, and suspended production pending investigation by Italian public health authorities.

The withdrawn products were distributed to several EU member countries, as well as to a number of countries outside the EU. Notification was sent to authorities in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, Armenia, Barbados, Brazil, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Taiwan and the USA. No country other than Finland reported even one case of botulism that could be associated with the stuffed olives.

Consumers following the Italian Ministry of Health web site could be excused if they thought that the story ended there. No updates have been released since the original notice was posted on October 21st. But that was definitely NOT the end of the story.

On December 1st, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland announced that “[i]nvestigations in Italy and in Finland have led to the decision to extend the withdrawal to include all products manufactured by Societa Cooperativa Agricola GMG F.lli Gaudiano arl, Italy.” Finland’s EVIRA followed with its own announcement on December 2nd.

Based on the information released by Ireland and Finland, the product withdrawal includes all batch codes and “best before dates” of the following products (different products may have been exported to other countries):

  • Bio Stuffed Olives Almonds
  • Bio Sundried Tomatoes in Sunflower Oil
  • Bio Green Olives Paté
  • Bio Stuffed Olives Peppers
  • Bio Semi-dry Tomatoes in Sunflower Oil
  • Bio Black Olives Paté
  • Bio Stuffed Olives Garlic
  • Bio Salted Capers 9/10 mm
  • Bio Sundried Tomatoes Paté
  • Bio Stuffed Olives Hot Chilli Peppers
  • Bio Hearts Artichokes in Sunflower Oil
  • Bio Artichokes Paté
  • Bio Stuffed Olives Cranberry
  • Bio Grilled Aubergines
  • Bio Garlic Paté
  • Gaudiano Black Olive in Salamoia (Brine)
  • Gaudiano Green Olive in Salamoia (Brine)

The withdrawn products were distributed to only one company in Ireland – Russell Gallery in New Quay, Co. Clare. In Finland, the products were supplied to K-food stores, KCM Big Apple (Espoo) KCM Jumbo (Vantaa) and KSM South Centre (Rovaniemi), and to three restaurants: Three Smiths (Helsinki), LaFamiglia (Helsinki and Vantaa), Rafaelo (Helsinki) and Apple (Helsinki).

No new Food Safety Alert has been posted as yet (December 8, 2011) on the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Nevertheless, it is safe to assume that many of the countries identified in the original notice (#2011.1479) also received one or more additional withdrawn products. The likely recipient countries include: Armenia, Barbados, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA.

eFoodAlert Consumer Advisory

Check your pantry and refrigerator for any product manufactured by Societa Cooperativa Agricola GMG F.lli Gaudiano arl, Italy. Discard all of these products in a safe manner. DO NOT TASTE THESE PRODUCTS. If you have consumed even a tiny amount of one of the withdrawn products and begin to experience any symptoms of botulism, including blurred vision or difficulty swallowing, seek immediate medical attention.

Botulism Alert: Scotland

Two cases of botulism reported in a Scottish family last week may be due to Loyd Grossman Korma sauce, according to a preliminary report released today by the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Lab tests carried out by HPA detected botulinum toxin in an opened jar of sauce obtained at the home of the affected family. According to HPA, there is no evidence suggesting that the jar could have been separately contaminated from another source.

Additional tests are in progress on the opened jar and on another unused jar of the sauce obtained from the home of the patients.

Loyd Grossman Korma Sauce (350g jars; Batch code 1218R 07:21; Best before February 2013) has been recalled, and remaining jars of the implicated batch of sauce are being removed from store shelves.

The UK Health Protection Agency is urging the public to immediately dispose of the recalled product and to be vigilant for signs and symptoms of botulism, including blurred vision, difficulty swallowing, headaches and muscle weakness.