Botulism and preservation at home. Causes, signs and how to avoid botulism in preserving mushrooms, jam, cucumbers and tomatoes

Every year, canned foods become less and less popular. The older generation always prepared preserves for the winter. Now you can find any delicacy in stores at any time of the year.

But still, don’t forget about your favorite salted tomatoes, pickled mushrooms and crispy cucumbers, which both adults and children love. A real housewife always has a couple of jars of delicious homemade preserves in stock for the winter. And don’t forget about sweet jam, which will bring memories of sunny summer. But not everyone knows about the great danger that lurks in canned foods dear to the heart and threatens any person, namely canned botulism.

What is botulism

Botulism is an infectious disease that affects the human central nervous system and can lead to paralysis and even death.

The causative agent is microbes (anaerobes) that can live without oxygen. Under favorable conditions, bacteria begin to multiply, releasing a particularly dangerous toxin.

Pathogens in the form of spores live in the soil and, together with vegetables and fruits, end up in closed jars. Also carriers are mushrooms, grains, meat and fish.

Botulism bacteria begin to actively multiply and release toxins in an environment without oxygen. The bacteria are extremely resistant. The spores can withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees, even for several hours. They die at a temperature of 120 degrees, when boiled for about half an hour. But such a high temperature is difficult to achieve at home. And these bacteria can withstand even high concentrations of acetic acid and salt.

Canned products prepared in production undergo special processing, which means they are safer. If there is no desire or opportunity at home to carry out all stages of sterilization of products and jars, it is better not to engage in canning at all. After all, it’s your own health!

Signs of botulism in canned food

Regular preservation and preservation contaminated with botulism are no different, which is quite dangerous factor. The bacteria does not manifest itself in any way: not externally, not by smell, not by taste. Only laboratory tests can accurately determine the presence of a toxin.

Still, you can recognize botulism in a jar at home. It often happens that the liquid in the jar becomes cloudy and bubbles form. But bacteria don't always behave this way. Perhaps the only sure sign of botulism in a jar is a swollen lid. Such products must be thrown away immediately!

So how can you determine the presence of botulism bacteria in canned food? Signs of botulism in canned food are a swollen jar and the formation of bubbles.

It is important, when the expiration date expires, to immediately get rid of canned food!

What canned foods may contain botulism?

1. IN tomato juice the development of botulism is unlikely, since this juice has low level pH.
2. It is necessary to clean mushrooms especially carefully, because quite a lot of microbes remain on them. Next, be sure to process and marinate the mushrooms by adding vinegar.
3. Jams should also be taken seriously.
4. You also need to be careful with purees and preserves that have not undergone heat treatment (berries and fruits ground with sugar). At the slightest sign gas formation, you need to throw away such a product.

Why is botulism dangerous in canned food?

This is quite rare and very dangerous disease. Bacterial spores enter the body and cause serious disease, which can be fatal. The first signs of the disease appear from a few hours to 5–10 days.

Signs of the disease:

• dry mouth;
• nausea;
• headache;
• weakness;
• the temperature does not rise;
• vomiting, diarrhea are rare, long-term constipation is more common;
• nasal sound, difficulty swallowing;
• suffocation of vision (like a net or in a fog);

The culprit is a toxin released by bacteria. If measures are not taken, the patient experiences difficulty breathing and paralysis.

First aid

1. At the first symptoms, you must call an ambulance.
2. First of all, cleanse the stomach with a soda solution. Colon lavage. Next, the doctor must determine the type of toxin and administer a special serum.
3. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate or self-medicate folk ways. When the first symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Further treatment consists of two stages.

Botulism is a serious and deadly infectious disease. It affects the entire central nervous system. If not diagnosed promptly, botulism can be fatal.. And anyone who eats canned food can become infected with it, regardless of whether they are of plant or animal origin. In this article we examined the main signs of botulism in conservation, methods of preventing this disease, its clinical manifestations and symptoms, treatment methods.

What is botulism

Botulism is an infectious disease that leads to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system. Before the invention of a specific serum, everyone infected with botulism died. Only thanks to the development of medicine has it become possible to cure this pathological infectious disease.

The causative agent of the disease, Clostridium botulinum, is an anaerobic bacteria. This microorganism can only grow and multiply in an environment in which there is no oxygen. Its most attractive habitat is sealed canned food that has not undergone sufficient heat treatment in a sterilizer or autoclave.

Clostridium botulinum bacteria can enter canned food through food that is poorly washed from soil, dirty hands, unsterile jars, etc. Only compliance with the required temperature regime can protect a person from this disease. After the autoclave, where canned food is sterilized, they must be stored in cool and dark places. At warm temperatures and good lighting, bacteria multiply faster.

The bacteria themselves are harmless to humans and do not cause disease. Botulinum toxin is a dangerous toxin produced by bacteria. It is this that leads to damage to the nervous system and death of a person.

A person can become infected with botulism not only through food, but also through a wound on the skin contaminated with soil. This infectious disease can be transmitted in the same way as tetanus.

Getting into the human body along with food, botulinum toxin is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream through the gastric mucosa. Hydrochloric acid produced in the gastric cavity cannot neutralize and inactivate it. Through the blood, the toxin spreads throughout the body and accumulates in nerve tissues. It affects neurons cranial nerves, brain tissue, nerve pathways, spinal cord.

Remember that botulism is most often found in homemade products. Canned food prepared in production undergoes better heat treatment and is safer.

Main signs of botulism in canned food

How can you tell if there is botulism in a jar? In fact, it is not difficult to suspect and prevent this infection. First of all you should inspect appearance jars, check its production date. The risk of developing botulism and poisoning when consuming expired canned foods increases significantly.

If you are making canned food, do not forget to label the jars and indicate the production date on them. This way you will protect yourself from poisoning.

Signs of botulism in canned food:

• Bloating of the can. It appears gradually. The jar seems to be inflating, it is deformed. If the product is in a glass container, only the lid swells. This swelling occurs as a result of the active proliferation of bacteria and their production of toxins.
• Presence of mold on the product. If, when opening a canned jar, you see signs of mold on the surface of the product, under no circumstances eat it and throw it away immediately. Mold is fungal infection product, it does not contain botulism bacteria. But the very fact of the development of fungi indicates insufficient temperature treatment of the canned food, and a high probability of the presence of botulinum toxin in it.
• Spontaneous opening of a jar due to the lid coming off may indicate the development of Clostridium botulinum in it. This product must be discarded immediately.

Remember that botulinum toxin has no taste, color, or smell. It is impossible to recognize it with the naked eye. The products look fine. Only the swelling of the jar can tell you about the danger of eating them. Contamination of products can only be confirmed by laboratory testing.

What canned foods can be contaminated with botulism?

What canned foods contain botulinum toxin? According to multiple studies, any tightly and hermetically sealed container can be dangerous.

Many people mistakenly believe that only canned meat products are dangerous to humans. But in fact, there are registered cases in which botulism was discovered in tomatoes, compote, corn, squash caviar and other canned vegetables. Also botulism can be found in various jams, preserves, and canned fruits.

Below are the most common reasons development of botulism.

According to statistics, botulism is most often found in home-produced mushrooms. Mushrooms are very difficult to completely wash off soil and dirt, and botulism spores end up in the jar. Fungal botulism is the leading cause of death caused by Clostridium botulinum. It is not always possible to detect botulism in a jar of mushrooms. Very often the lids of such canned food do not swell.

When canning mushrooms at home, it is most often not possible to completely destroy botulism spores using high temperature. Only temperature treatment in professional autoclaves can destroy bacteria and spores in pickled mushrooms.

Botulism in salted mushrooms, in sauerkraut, tomatoes and cucumbers cannot develop due to the fact that such preservations are not hermetically sealed and fresh air is constantly supplied to the products.

At home, it is safest to freeze mushrooms rather than can them.. Thus, they completely retain their taste and nutritional properties and are not dangerous to humans. Botulism cannot develop in frozen mushrooms, since the products are stored in an environment that contains oxygen.

Stew

Is stewed meat harmful? Many people have loved this product since childhood. But, unfortunately, it ranks second in terms of the risk of contracting botulism. Most people don’t know whether it’s possible to get poisoned by stewed meat. When making it at home, the risk of infection with botulinum toxin is high, since Spores can only be killed by long-term sterilization in autoclaves. At home, stew is most often prepared in conventional ovens.

But it is unlikely to find botulinum toxin in store-bought stew. It undergoes full heat treatment and is safe for humans. But you can eat it only after checking the appearance of the jar and the expiration date.

Is it possible to eat suspicious canned food?

How to destroy botulinum toxin in swollen canned food? Some people believe that if you take a canned product from a bulging jar and boil it, all the toxins will disappear.

In fact, if you suspect that canned food has been contaminated with botulism, it should be immediately thrown away along with the jar and lid, and under no circumstances should it be eaten. Repeated heat treatment of the product does not ensure complete destruction of the toxin.

Does vinegar kill botulism? It is impossible to get rid of the toxin using acetic acid. Bacteria and toxins are not sensitive to it.

It is prohibited to risk your health and eat canned foods that show signs of botulinum toxin contamination. They should be disposed of immediately. It is impossible to kill botulism by repeated boiling or treating food with vinegar.

Prevention of botulism

How to avoid botulism during preservation? If you decide to start canning food after reading this article, you should stick to the basics of botulism prevention. Below are recommendations that can help you protect yourself from this infection when pickling at home:

• Adhere to the required temperature conditions, carefully sterilize canned food. For this purpose, it is best to use an autoclave.
• Wash food thoroughly before canning.
• Label the finished canned food, indicate the date of manufacture and composition.
• Store canned food in a dark and cool place. It is best to keep them in the refrigerator or cellar.
• Throw away swollen canned food; do not try to “reanimate” them.

When purchasing ready-made canned food, be sure to check the expiration date and pay attention to the appearance of the can. Do not buy ready-made pickled and canned products of unknown origin in spontaneous markets or from hand. Only products that have a license, the necessary labeling, information about the manufacturer and composition can be safe.

Remember that canned mushrooms can only be eaten if you are sure of their quality and have seen the jar from which they were placed on the plate. To protect yourself from botulism, avoid eating pickled mushrooms at guests, cafes or restaurants.

Clinical picture of the disease

How quickly does botulism develop after eating canned food? Incubation period this infectious disease can last from several hours to five days. First, the disease manifests itself as a disruption of the digestive tract, as with ordinary poisoning. The patient experiences vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

For changing gastrointestinal symptoms The following specific clinical signs of botulism come:

• Muscle weakness. It becomes difficult for a person to stand, move, or take something with his hands. Paralysis and paresis gradually increase.
• Feeling of dry mouth.
• Nasal voice.
• Impaired swallowing and speech.
• Amymia is the absence of facial expressions.
• Severe bloating, constipation due to decreased intestinal motility.
• Promotion blood pressure, increased heart rate.
• Frequent and shallow breathing, in which respiratory failure gradually increases.
• Dilated pupils, blurred vision, due to the inability to focus on something. In this case, a violation of accommodation is observed.
• Pallor skin develops due to vascular spasm.
• Urinary retention develops due to paresis of the bladder muscles.

What to do if you suspect a person has botulism

Botulism can only be diagnosed and treated by doctors. If you suspect its development, you should immediately call an ambulance. Do not leave the patient alone until the ambulance arrives. Make sure that he does not choke on vomit or a sunken tongue, or get injured due to muscle weakness.

Remember that self-treatment of botulism is impossible. Without qualified medical care This disease is fatal in 100% of cases.

Hospitalization of such patients is carried out in urgently to the infectious diseases or intensive care unit.

Before the beginning etiological treatment Laboratory confirmation of the suspected diagnosis is carried out. Vomit, feces, and gastric lavage are taken for examination. Blood tests for this disease are not effective.

Treatment for botulism consists of:

• administration of specific antitoxic antibotulinum serum;
• intensive therapy aimed at maintaining vital important functions(breathing, heartbeat, urine, feces);
• gastric and intestinal lavage;
• droppers aimed at maintaining water and electrolyte balance;
• antibacterial therapy.

Prognosis for life and full recovery the patient directly depends on the timeliness of seeking medical help. The longer an infected person stays at home and refuses to see a doctor, the less chance he has of recovery and recovery.

Botulism is dangerous infectious disease. Botulinum toxins are formed in canned food that has not undergone the necessary heat treatment. Infection can occur not only in meat, but also in canned vegetables. You can protect yourself and not get sick with botulism with the help of simple prevention. It consists of following the basics of preparing, storing and purchasing canned goods. If signs of infection with this infectious disease appear, you should immediately call emergency medical help. Self-medication of this pathology in 100% of cases leads to fatal outcome. In the hospital, the patient is examined, after laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis, a specific anti-botulinum serum is administered, thanks to which it is possible to save the person’s life.

Botulism is considered one of the worst poisons, and the first most severe intoxication in the world. But many people don’t know what foods cause botulism? Today we’ll talk about this.

Botulism is a pathogenic effect on the body that instantly depresses vital organs and primarily the central nervous system.

This is caused by the ingestion of a toxin called Clostridium Botulinum - 0.0001 liters is enough for a person to develop severe poisoning, the fatality rate of which is high.

Botulism in canned food: how to distinguish normal from bad?

What foods cause botulism? You can suffer from botulinus toxin mainly through canned and pickled products. More than 85% of poisoning cases occur precisely from it.

Homemade canned food and twists most often become carriers of a dangerous fungus, because under production conditions everything is carefully sterilized, processed and tested in laboratories.

How to identify canned food that is unsuitable for food? The smell, color and even appearance of the marinade does not change; it is possible to determine whether there are spores of a toxic fungus in the jar only with the help of clinical trials. In everyday life, it can be determined by two signs:

• swelling of the lid,
• surface of the can,
• cloudiness,
• pallor of the canned broth.

This product should be thrown away immediately.

What foods cause canned botulism:

• Tomato juice and tomato paste are least susceptible to the development of botulism due to their low acid content;
• Pickled mushrooms are more prone to botulism; dirt accumulated on their surface, improper heat treatment, and impaired preservation technology increase the risk of its development;
• Jam, pickled and canned vegetables can also become contaminated if they are not prepared or cured properly.

What to do to make the twisted product a joy:

• Clean and wash food before preserving;
• Sterilize jars for at least 20-30 minutes, do not shorten the time;
• Add not expired acetic acid in marinade, acidity should be above 1.5%;
• Perform the process of preparing canned food only in a sterile place where there is no dust, crumbs and other debris;
• Can only fresh, unblemished food.

You can be exposed to infectious-toxic poisoning not only from canned mushrooms, but also from fresh or otherwise prepared mushrooms.

Therefore, mushroom pickers should approach with caution not only the choice of mushrooms in a forest clearing, but also their preparation.

What to do to prevent mushrooms from causing harm to your health:

• Place only fresh, firm mushrooms in the basket. Avoid loose, soft and withered ones;
• Sort the collected mushrooms and put them in the refrigerator or at least in a dark, cool place, for example, a basement or pantry. Shelf life outside the refrigerator is 3-4 days;
• Do not cut the mushroom at the root; it is on the mycelium that a dangerous fungus can live;
• Before heat treatment, clean and wash.

How to reduce the risk of poisoning from canned mushrooms:

• Never close the jar with a metal lid; use paper or plastic to secure it with a thin rubber band at the neck. It has been proven that botulism develops only in closed containers;
• It will not be possible to kill botulism on mushrooms without special production equipment; a household stove cannot achieve the high temperatures at which the bacterium dies;
• Never buy mushrooms from sellers without a quality certificate, and avoid eating questionable pickled mushrooms from friends.

Botulism in mushrooms is a very dangerous disease. More details can be found on our website.

Among home-canned products, pickled cucumbers are in first place.

Some housewives may deviate from conservation technology; such sealing is a potential threat to life.

How to prepare the right pickled cucumbers:

• Select only fresh, firm cucumbers. Old, soft, sticky ones should be discarded immediately;
• Before twisting, rinse 5-6 times under running water;
• Sterilize each jar according to regulations;
• Screw in a place that has been previously cleaned of contamination;
• Check the cucumbers for appearance - a swollen lid, cloudy brine with sediment is a sign of botulism;
• Store the opened jar in the refrigerator for no more than three days.

Botulism in fish: how to avoid infected fish?

In Russia, botulism became common thanks to fish in the 20th century. It was fish products from sturgeon that discovered botulism for Russian medicine.

After a long study, it was revealed that a fish of the sturgeon family, salmon, is predisposed to the development of this toxic fungus.

Which fish products cause botulism? Potentially dangerous river fish include: bream, gobies, herring and omul. To avoid poisoning, you should follow simple and reliable recommendations:

• Never salt fish that has been fresh without any processing. necessary conditions storage;
• Fish that is going to be eaten without additional processing, salted or smoked, should be kept in the freezer;
• If you suspect botulism, throw away the fish immediately; no heat treatment will save it from the toxin;
• The brining technology is simple - the salt content is more than 17%, the product must lie in a salt solution for at least 1-2 days;
• Buy fish only from trusted persons who have documents and a certificate confirming the quality of the product.

Botulism in honey: can a glass of milk and honey be dangerous?

Young mothers and others are interested in the question: “Is there botulism in dairy products? What about a spoonful of honey?”

Fresh, pasteurized and ultra-pasteurized milk cannot contain botulism. Condensed milk without additional filtration, dry milk powder and condensed milk may contain botulism spores. These are spores, not vegetative agents of the fungus. The main difference between them is that the spores cannot be killed by heat treatment - they are the germs of the fungus itself.

It is not yet possible to say for sure whether there is botulism in honey. There have been no recorded cases of spores or the fungus itself being found in the consistency of this bee product. But young mothers often complain about botulism caused by honey; there is an unconfirmed theory that it provokes childhood intoxication. Neither agreement nor denial of this conclusion has yet been made.

Botulism in jam: unhealthy dessert.

If we talk about what products botulism is found in, we can safely say in jars of jam. Any type and variety falls under this category, be it apple, raspberry, peach or currant.

Botulism is formed and enters the jar under two circumstances:

• If the place where supplies were stored was not sterilely clean, there was dirt, dust, crumbs, dishes and jars that were not sterilized and washed;
• If the ingredients of the future jam themselves have not been carefully chosen and selected.

It’s easy to tell if jam is unsuitable for eating – a swollen lid, cloudy syrup.

Prevention measures:

• Before cooking, sort out fruits and berries. Soft, beaten, rotten ones are not even suitable for wine and liqueurs;
• Sterilize jars according to instructions;
• Wash the jam ingredients several times under running water;
• Cook jam only in clean bowls and pans, wash your hands before rolling.

Observing simple tips By carefully selecting canned products, you can protect yourself and loved ones from acute poisoning botulism. The disease leads to death in 65% of cases.

Video: what foods cause botulism

In the cold season, every second family uses various kinds conservation. These harmless treats can hide considerable danger. In the absence of oxygen (the ideal place for this is a tin can), the bacteria that cause botulism (if they get into the can) begin to multiply and secrete poison. This is an infection that strikes nervous system, causes paralysis and then death. Like many other bacteria, botulism is killed by boiling, but in some cases it can still survive and begin to secrete a toxin.

Signs of damage to conservation by botulinum toxin

Even the most delicious canned food is not worth putting your health at risk. Therefore, if a jar of pickles seems suspicious in appearance, it is better to get rid of it without even taking a sample for damage.

The causative agents of botulism, Clostridium botulinum rods, behave very “cunningly”. In most cases, it will not be possible to determine that there is an infection in the jar either by smell or taste.

However, there are several signs that indicate that preserved food may be contaminated:

• The liquid in the jar changed its color and became cloudy;
• The jars “exploded”, the lid was swollen;
• Lots of small bubbles in the jar;
• Suspicious sediment at the bottom;
• Foam appeared in the jar.

Another important factor is the shelf life of the preserved product. If pickling cucumbers or rolling up stew occurred more than 2 years ago, then they should not be eaten. The longer canned food is stored, the greater the risk of dangerous microbes growing in it.

Although there is a 90% chance that the lids of preserves contaminated with botulism will swell, this may not happen in the remaining 10% of cases. Therefore, if at least one can “exploded,” the rest also need to be treated with special caution. You don’t have to throw them away, but you should heat them before using them.

Preventing botulism infection

In order to minimize the risk of botulinum toxin infection, you need to remember a few simple rules:

• The place where anything is preserved must be perfectly clean. The dishes that will be used are rinsed with boiling water to which vinegar is added.

• It must be remembered that when preserving fish and meat, as well as mushrooms, absolute sterilization cannot be achieved by any means, even by prolonged boiling. For this reason self-cooking such canned food is carried out at your own peril and risk.
• Before you start canning, vegetables and fruits must be carefully examined. Among them there should be no fruits with flaws, much less moldy.
• Banks must be sterilized as thoroughly as possible. If you boil them several times, the likelihood that the bacteria will die increases sharply.
• Pathogens can be found even in poorly sterilized baby bottles. That is why children who are in artificial feeding are at risk.

Very often, botulism bacteria live in mushrooms and honey. You should not buy these products from unverified sellers. Under no circumstances should honey be given to infants.

• When cutting fish or meat, you must remove all the insides as quickly and carefully as possible so that no traces remain in the product;
• Before opening canned food, it is best to boil it if possible. In most cases, this will kill the bacteria, but is not a complete guarantee.

Sterilization of jars as a prevention of botulism

When it comes to talking about botulism, the most frequently asked question is: does botulism die when boiled? There are many opinions and misconceptions about this. For example, many people believe that simply boiling jars for 5 minutes is enough to get rid of botulism. This is true - botulism is killed by short-term boiling, but only its vegetative form. The spore form is resistant to temperatures such as freezing, drying, ultraviolet rays and alcohol-containing products. In order to get rid of the spore form of botulism, you need temperature regime not lower than 120˚C or very long boiling.

Knowing at what temperature botulism dies, you can safely take preventive measures. First of all, this is the sterilization of jars and lids. To effectively sterilize bottles and jars at home, you need to fill them to the top with water and place them in a large container, for example, a saucepan. The container itself should also be filled with water and bring everything to a boil. Ideally, you need to boil for several hours. In a separate pan, the lids are sterilized using the same principle.

Effect of acidic environment on botulism

Acid, and in particular vinegar, has a destructive effect on botulism bacteria. Research shows that foods with low acidity are more susceptible to botulism. Therefore, as a precaution, it is better not to can peppers, peas, corn and beets at home.

Another thing is that even the already released botulinum toxin, as well as bacterial spores, have no effect hydrochloric acid stomach, accordingly, vinegar is also powerless in front of them.

Experienced housewives acidify foods before canning to kill bacteria. And they are absolutely right. Vinegar or brine added to canned food is the right solution to prevent botulism. Sweet syrup and alcoholic drinks also have the effect of destroying bacteria. By the way, these additives kill not only bacteria and rods, but also different kinds mold and fungi.

Botulism in low temperatures

There is another common belief that botulism is killed when food is frozen. This opinion is absolutely a myth. In fact, the bacilli that cause this disease are able to survive at extremely low temperatures. At the same time, they continue to release deadly toxins.

Science knows of studies where botulism spores survived at temperatures of almost -200˚C. What can we say about killing them in ordinary freezers, in which the temperature does not even reach -20˚С.

Habitat of botulism bacteria

In order for preventive measures to have the maximum effect, you should know where the bacteria that cause botulism can be found.

These microorganisms are widespread in nature. Both spore and vegetative forms live in internal organs animals, fish and birds. Botulism spores, once in the soil, can live in it for a long time.

Many food products contain various shapes pathogen. Such products include not only canned food, but also dried fish, meat, smoked meats and sausages.

Fun fact: Bacteria can spread unevenly in solid foods, so if more than one person eats a contaminated product, even just one of them may get botulism.

Since canned products are still the leader in this regard, you need to be as careful as possible with them. In addition, there are many safe seaming options that do not require an absolute vacuum in the jar, thereby reducing the risk of microbial contamination.

Symptoms of botulism

If you are still unlucky and botulism enters the body, the main thing is not to panic, especially since it will most likely not be possible to recognize it immediately. Timely consultation with a doctor is a guarantee of preserving life and health.

The first symptoms of infection may be:

• Stool disorder;
• Severe vomiting;
• Increased body temperature;
• Dry mucous membranes;
• Constant thirst.

In a more advanced stage, a person experiences visual disturbances, tinnitus, and muscle pain. Most clear symptoms– this is a violation of the swallowing reflex, loss of voice, as well as numbness of the facial muscles.

The most dangerous manifestation of botulism is shortness of breath and symptoms of suffocation. At the same time, the patient begins to experience severe tachycardia. In this state, a person can live no more than 4 hours. Next comes death due to oxygen starvation.

How can you help a person before the ambulance arrives? The first thing to do is to rinse the stomach and also give an enema. You can give the patient water to which you first add soda solution. This will help remove toxins and restore the microflora of the stomach. A solution of potassium permanganate, as well as a decoction of chamomile and sage, have the same effect. But what they do not recommend doing is giving the victim any medications or painkillers. This can only make the situation worse.

Botulism is easy to confuse with others intestinal infections. If one or more symptoms appear, it is better to go to the hospital immediately. During hospitalization, doctors will carry out everything necessary research and will be able to provide you with qualified assistance.

Botulism - serious illness, which most often occurs when eating food containing the bacterium clostridium botulinum. Home-canned and under-processed foods can contain deadly bacteria. You can get botulism even if the bacteria gets into a wound. In the best ways Prevention of botulism is proper food preparation and medical monitoring of wounds.

Steps

What is botulism

Types of botulism. Botulism is rare disease which requires emergency medical attention. Botulism causes paralysis and death regardless of the method of infection. To prevent botulism, you need to know the methods of infection. Here are some of them:

Prevention of different types of botulism. Unfortunately, not all types of botulism can be prevented. Foodborne and wound botulism can be prevented, but infant and intestinal botulism cannot. Here's what you need to know:

Symptoms of botulism. The incubation period of botulism ranges from 6 hours to 10 days. If left untreated, botulism leads to death. When the following symptoms Contact your doctor immediately:

• Double vision, clouding and drooping eyelids
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty swallowing or dry mouth
• Muscle weakness

1. Symptoms in children. Botulism most often affects infants, so it is important to know its symptoms. If your child experiences any of the following symptoms of paralysis, seek emergency help immediately:

   • Apathy
   • Refusal to eat
   • Prolonged crying
   • Muscle weakness

   Prevention of foodborne botulism

   1. Dangerous products. The main cause of botulism is the consumption of improperly canned and processed foods. Botulism bacteria are most often found in foods such as:

      • Salted fish cooked in a brine with insufficient acidity and salinity to kill bacteria
      • Smoked fish that has been kept warm
      • Fruits and vegetables that are not acidic enough to kill bacteria
      • Any canned food that has not been properly processed
      • Honey consumed by children under one year of age and people with immunodeficiency

   2. Be careful while cooking. Be careful when preparing food and practice good hygiene. Follow these rules when preparing food:

      • Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Botulism bacterium ( clostridium botulinum) lives in soil, and many foods containing dirt and soil particles are potentially hazardous.
      • Peel or wipe the potatoes with a stiff brush before baking. Potatoes baked in aluminum foil should be left hot until served or before refrigeration.
      • Wash mushrooms thoroughly before eating, removing all remaining soil.
      • It is better to boil home-canned food for about 10 minutes before eating.
      • Homemade cheese sauces and salsas should be refrigerated.
      • All dairy products must be stored in the refrigerator.
      • Any canned food whose packaging has been damaged (or whose integrity can be questioned) is best thrown away.
      • Never, under any circumstances, eat animals that have been hit by a car or marine animals that have washed ashore.

   3. When is it best to throw away food? Botulism can sometimes be contracted by eating packaged food that has been contaminated. Know when do not do it Eating packaged or prepared foods can help prevent botulism. Botulism spores themselves have neither taste nor smell, so you should not rely solely on the smell of the product.

      • If a canned product is partially open or the packaging is damaged or deformed, it is best to throw away the product.
      • If canned food sizzles, bubbles, or smells bad when you open it, it's best to throw it away.
      • If the lid on the jar is very swollen, then it is better to throw away such a product.
      • If the product has strange or bad smell, it is better to throw it away (unless the product must have such an unpleasant odor and you are sure of it).
      • If there is mold on the product or in some places the product has a strange color, then it is better to throw it away.
      • If you have any doubts about the freshness of the product, it is better to throw it away to play it safe.

   4. Do not give honey to children under one year of age. The immune system children are not developed enough to be able to fight the botulism bacteria that are sometimes present in honey. The immune system of adults is strong enough to fight it off.

   Safe Food Preservation Techniques

   1. Use modern recipes. Over the past 20 years, food preparation and canning techniques have undergone significant changes due to a better understanding of the processes of bacterial growth and reproduction, as well as improvements in preparation tools and methods. This means that when preparing preparations you should be guided modern books or prescriptions, as they will be the safest.

      • Just because a recipe is published on the Internet does not mean it is modern. There are a lot of old recipes on the Internet, reprinted from old books! Check sources or check with the author. If you're unsure about a recipe, skip it and try to find something newer.
      • You can study several similar recipes and “update” older versions. Missing parts of an old recipe (some things previously considered obvious) can be filled in with steps from modern recipes that are considered important for safety.

   2. Do not can food with low acid content unless you have the proper equipment. The acid in some foods kills botulism bacteria. If the acidity of the product is low or even zero, then the risk of the growth of harmful bacteria is much higher. In particular, many vegetables do not respond well to the canning process unless they are heated at a very high temperature.

      • Many low acidity vegetables are commonly grown in the garden, such as asparagus, green peas, tomatoes, chili peppers, beets and carrots, and corn.
      • All of these low-acid vegetables can be canned if you have special equipment that allows you to heat them higher boiling temperature of water. To do this, you need an autoclave, which works on the principle of a pressure cooker. If you have a pressure canner, read the instructions carefully and follow the recipe directions.

   3. Use the right ingredients to kill bacteria. Alcohol, brine and sugar syrup kill bacteria. In the case of a salt or sugar solution, boiling is necessary, which kills all microorganisms. In addition to bacteria, such food preparation also kills viruses, fungi and mold.

      • Acidifying low-acid foods helps kill bacteria, but boiling must also be used. Thus, lemon juice, citric acid, vinegar and other acidic substances can be used to increase the acidity of food preserved by heating.

   4. Use a method that kills bacteria effectively. As already said, normal temperature Boiling may not be sufficient for preserving foods with low acidity. The botulism bacterium can survive even at temperatures above 100ºC. In foods with sufficient acidity heat destroys bacteria together with acid. The standard of modern canning techniques includes the following:

      • In a saucepan. Canning jars are washed and sterilized by immersing them in boiling water for five minutes. After this, the jars are filled with fruits or vegetables, rubber rings are placed, which should also first be kept in boiling water, and then lids are placed on top. The jars of product are returned to the pan and kept on low heat for the time required by the recipe.
      • In the oven. The oven is preheated and the fruits or vegetables are placed in jars. Lids are placed on top of the jars. The jars are placed in the oven on a baking sheet and cooked for a certain period of time (depending on what the recipe calls for). After this, remove the jars from the oven, pour boiling brine or syrup, close the lids tightly and leave to cool.

   5. Process any meat products at temperatures of 115.6ºC or higher. This is necessary to destroy any spores that may be in the product. As with vegetables with low acidity, this will require an autoclave in which such high temperatures can be obtained.

      • In addition, after you open the autoclave, you must boil the meat at a temperature of 100ºC. After this, reduce the heat and cook for at least another 15 minutes to ensure that all bacteria are killed.

   6. Find alternative ways food preservation. Canning is a kind of art that requires a lot of effort and care. If you're not interested in this, there are many other ways to safely store food, such as:

      • Freezing: Before freezing any food, find out exactly how it should be frozen, as some foods cannot be frozen at all.
      • Drying: Drying kills bacteria, fungi and enzymes. Don't forget to follow modern methods drying food to do everything right.
      • Pickling: Some foods can be preserved in vinegar - often a variety of spices are added during pickling to improve the taste of the product.
      • Smoking: Some foods, such as meat or fish, can be smoked.
      • Wine, beer or alcohol: You can turn your fruits or vegetables into alcohol and this will definitely kill harmful bacteria.

   7. Safe canning in oil. Any food can be potentially dangerous if it grows in the ground or has had contact with soil. Preserving food using oil is safe, but you must follow a few simple rules.

      • Wash all food and utensils thoroughly before use. Try to remove all traces of dirt. If the only way to get rid of traces of dirt is to clean, then clean the product.
      • Add acidifier. Some countries even have laws requiring the use of an acidifier in all commercial canned oil products. At home, you can use lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid. Typically, use one tablespoon of acidizing agent per cup of oil.
      • Foods preserved in oil must be stored in the refrigerator. If you have a dark and cold cellar, you can store canned goods there. Of course, you can use the refrigerator to keep the product in oil longer.
      • Discard the oil immediately if it becomes cloudy, bubbles, or has a foul odor.
      • Botulism can cause death due to respiratory arrest.