Botulism is a serious disease that mostly develops when a person eats food that contains the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, commonly called botulinum. Preserves prepared at home and improperly packaged in jars can contain this deadly bacterium. However, Botox can also enter the body through wounds. The best way to prevent this disease is to prepare food safely and seek medical attention promptly in case of injuries.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Learn about Botulism
Step 1. Learn about the different types of botulism
Although this is a rare condition, prompt medical intervention is required when it develops. Regardless of the type of botulism that hit you, know that it can cause paralysis and even death; therefore, knowing the mechanisms of infection is the first step to prevent it. The different types of botulism are listed below:
- Food botulism occurs when food contaminated by the bacterium is ingested.
- Wound botulism can strike when the bacterium enters the body through a cut and as a result the body begins to produce toxins. This type of disease is more prevalent among those who work in unsanitary conditions or who share needles when using injectable drugs.
- Infant botulism occurs when a newborn ingests the bacterium's spores, which grow in the intestines and release the toxin.
- Adult intestinal botulism infection occurs when an adult ingests the botulinum spores that grow in the intestine and release the toxin.
- Keep in mind that this intoxication is not contagious; however, people who eat the same contaminated food are likely to have similar reactions; this leads many people to think that the disease can be "passed on" by other people.
Step 2. Know the types of botulism that can be prevented
Unfortunately, it is not possible to avoid intoxication for all types. Food and wound botulism can be avoided, but infantile and intestinal botulism unfortunately cannot. Here's what's important to know about it:
- Food botulism can be avoided by taking precautions when preparing food.
- Injury can be avoided by properly cleaning and treating an open wound in a timely manner. You can also prevent it by never injecting or inhaling drugs.
- Infant botulism and intestinal botulism are caused by the spores of the bacterium living in the dirt. Regardless of how much you clean the house and the environment your child plays in, there is no way to prevent the spores from entering the body. The good thing, however, is that this type of botulism is extremely rare and not fatal if treated promptly.
Step 3. Recognize the symptoms of botulism
They can appear immediately, within 6 hours of ingesting contaminated foods, and up to 10 days later. If you notice any of the symptoms listed below, you should go to the emergency room immediately. The most common symptoms are:
- Diplopia (double vision), blurred vision, eyelid ptosis.
- Spoken or slurred speech.
- Difficulty swallowing or dry mouth.
- Muscle weakness.
Step 4. Check for signs of infant botulism
It typically affects young children, so it is very important to monitor the child for symptoms. If your child shows any of the following symptoms of typical botulism paralysis, go to the emergency room right away:
- Lethargic appearance.
- Inability to eat.
- Faint cry.
- Difficulty in movement.
Part 2 of 3: Preventing Food Botulism
Step 1. You need to know the foods that might contain the bacterium
As already mentioned, botulism is very often caused by the consumption of food prepared at home and stored incorrectly. The bacterium can be found mainly in the following foods:
- Canned fish or packaged jars without a sufficient amount of salt or acidic ingredients in the brine that are capable of killing the bacterium.
- Smoked fish stored at too high a temperature.
- Packaged fruit and vegetables without enough acid to kill the bacterium.
- Any canned or jarred food that has not been packaged following modern standard procedures.
- Honey products when given to children under one year of age or to people who have a compromised immune system.
Step 2. Prepare the food carefully
Whenever you cook a meal be sure to prepare the food ensuring all hygienic and sanitary requirements. The following are the minimum basic guidelines you should always adhere to for food safety:
- Eliminate dirt and dust residues from fruit and vegetables. The botulinum bacterium is present in the soil and any food that still has earth on the skin can represent a danger.
- Scrub the potatoes to clean them before cooking. If you wrap and cook them in aluminum foil, you need to keep them warm or in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat them.
- Clean the mushrooms before consuming them to remove soil residues.
- Consider boiling canned food for 10 minutes before eating.
- Homemade cheese sauces and creams should be stored in the refrigerator.
- Keep dairy products in the refrigerator as well.
- Discard the food that is sealed in the packages with a thermal process, in case it is evident that it is no longer vacuum-sealed (for example jars with holes or rust).
- If you are homeless and lead an outdoor life, avoid eating animals killed on the road or fish you find dead on the beaches. You cannot know how long they have been there and may be infested with bacteria.
Step 3. Know when to throw away food
Many people get botulism when they eat packaged and contaminated food. For this reason, it is of fundamental importance to know when not to eat packaged or even home-prepared food. Spores themselves don't have a specific taste or smell, so you don't have to rely on smell to tell if a food is safe.
- If a food can is dented, slightly open or warped, do not eat the food inside.
- If canned food fizzes, bubbles, or smells bad when you open the package, throw it away.
- If the lid opens too easily, don't eat the food.
- If the food smells bad, unless you already know it must, throw it away (in some cases fermented or long-life foods for some people naturally smell terrible, but these are rather rare foods).
- When the food is moldy or discolored, eliminate it.
- If in doubt, throw it away, it's not worth the risk.
Step 4. Do not give honey to children under one year old
At this age their immune systems have yet to develop and are unable to kill the botulism bacteria that can sometimes be found in honey. On the other hand, the immune defenses of adults are strong enough to be able to face this type of danger.
Part 3 of 3: Using Safe Food Preservation Techniques
Step 1. Find an updated recipe with the latest food storage procedures
Over the past 20 years or so, home-prepared food preservation and canning techniques have undergone changes in light of new knowledge about bacteria and food preservation. This means that cookbooks or recipes made in this last period should provide guidelines and indicate safe food preparation processes.
- Pay attention to the recipes you see on the internet. Just because you find them online doesn't mean they're modern. There are a lot of old recipes on the web because they were made from old books! Always check the source of the various links and ask questions. If in doubt, only rely on sources whose update is certain.
- You can probably adapt an old food preservation recipe by cross-checking with the latest versions. The parts that are missing in the ancient recipe (many things may not be indicated because in the past the cooks handed down some instructions verbally) can be integrated by adding the omitted phases, but which are fundamental for safety.
Step 2. Don't store low-acid foods in jars unless you are properly equipped
Acidity destroys botulinum but, when it is not sufficient or not present, the risk of intoxication increases considerably. In particular, many types of vegetables do not lend themselves well to the preservation process if they are not subjected to a treatment at high temperatures.
- Among the low-acid vegetables that are often grown in kitchen gardens and that you might want to keep are asparagus, green beans, tomatoes, chillies, beets, carrots (juice), and corn.
- You can think about canning these vegetables, but only if you have the right equipment that allows you to heat the jars beyond the boiling point of water. This requires a special device that acts similar to a large pressure cooker. If you decide to buy one, read the instructions carefully and follow them closely to make sure you get the job done precisely and accurately.
Step 3. Use the right ingredients to kill bacteria
Alcohol, brine, and sugar syrup are effective in this regard. If you use brine or sugar syrup, you still need to ensure a high temperature treatment, which is what kills the microorganisms. In addition to Botox, heat can kill viruses, fungi and molds.
The acidification process for low-acid foods helps kill the bacterium, but a heating process is also important. Therefore, you can use lemon juice, citric acid, vinegar, and other similar substances to increase the acidity level of your canned food, but you must also put in place a heating process for safe storage
Step 4. Bring the food to a temperature sufficient to kill the bacteria
As already mentioned, the boiling temperature at sea level is insufficient for foods with low acidity (botulism bacteria can survive temperatures above 100 ° C). However, if foods contain an amount of acid, the heat destroys the bacteria in combination with the acidity. Among the modern standard food canning techniques are:
- Pot method. Wash and sterilize the canning jars by submerging them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then fill them with the fruit or vegetables you want to keep, insert a rubber seal (previously soaked in boiling water) on the opening of the jar and close the lid. At this point you can put the containers back in the pot for a second boil, according to the times provided by the recipe.
- Oven method. Preheat the oven and place the fruit or vegetables in the jars by placing the lids on them but without closing them. Put the jars in the oven on a baking sheet or a baking dish and "cook" them for the set time (according to the recipe). Then take them out of the oven, fill them with the boiling brine or syrup solution, seal the jars tightly, and let them cool.
Step 5. If you need to store meat, make sure the temperature is at least 116 ° C or higher
It is essential to reach this temperature to destroy any spores that may be present. As with low-acid vegetables, also in this case you must have a pressure tool that can reach and exceed this temperature.
Also, when you open the package, be sure to heat any type of canned meat to 100 ° C. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 15 minutes before you feel confident that you have destroyed the bacteria
Step 6. Find safer alternative solutions when you want to can your foods
Preserving food in jars is almost an art and requires considerable effort and adequate care. If this technique is not of your interest, keep in mind that there are other equally safe ways to store a multitude of products, such as:
- Freeze food. Know what kind of food you want to keep, as each food has different freezing needs, while others can't withstand low freezer temperatures at all.
- Drying. This method kills bacteria, yeasts, fungi and enzymes. If you choose this technique be sure to follow the updated instructions so that you are using the correct technique.
- Pickle. Some foods can be stored in this way. This is a popular method for vegetables and other products, with the addition of spices to enrich the flavors.
- Smoking. Some foods, such as meat and fish, can be smoked.
- Use of wine, cider, beer or alcohol. Put your fruit and vegetables in an alcoholic solution and the bacteria will surely die
Step 7. Make a risk-free oil infusion
Virtually any food that grows in or comes into contact with soil can be potentially contaminated. A safe way to store it is to use oil, but you must follow the guidelines described below.
- Wash the product before using it. Remove all traces of soil. If peeling is the only sure way to get rid of all the residue, then peel the vegetable.
- Add an acidifying agent. In some countries this step is required by law. You can use an element that is readily available at home, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid. The ratio is one tablespoon of acidifying product per 240 ml of oil.
- Store the solution in oil in the refrigerator. If you have a very cold and dark cellar, this may be enough, as long as it always remains very cold; however, if you want to be absolutely safe, it is undoubtedly recommended to use the refrigerator, in order to guarantee a longer conservation.
- Discard the oil right away if you see it starting to get cloudy, have bubbles, or smell bad.
Advice
- Never eat any product that you have stored yourself unless you are sure that you have put in place all the proper and safe procedures during the preparation process.
- If you've just started storing canned foods at home, first learn about the dangers!
- You can do research online for guidance on how to store canned foods properly. Rely only on safe and trusted sites.
Warnings
- People who survive an episode of Botox poisoning may experience fatigue and difficulty breathing for many years; in addition, therapy for a very long period of time may be required to facilitate recovery.
- Botulism can cause death from respiratory failure.
