Can pickled cucumbers cause botulinum poisoning?

Botulinum is a toxin produced in anaerobic environments, so are traditional fermented products such as pickled vegetables at risk of botulinum contamination?

Many readers ask whether pickled cucumbers and eggplants can cause botulinum poisoning and if so, how to prevent it when pickled cucumbers and eggplants are a popular dish in the summer?

1. Pickled cucumbers and eggplants are fermented foods that are good for the intestines.

Fermentation is a traditional food preservation technique. The process of fermenting foods creates beneficial bacteria and yeasts. These beneficial bacteria help keep fermented foods less likely to spoil and increase the good bacteria in the gut.

During the fermentation process, these bacteria will create enzymes that convert sugar and starch into lactic acid, creating a sour taste, as well as creating enzymes that partially break down proteins in food, helping the body absorb them more easily.

Therefore, when eating pickled cucumbers combined with protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, shrimp... it will create a delicious feeling. Eating pickled cucumbers and eggplants properly will also supplement the body with beneficial bacteria and strengthen the immune system.

Pickled cucumbers and eggplants are fermented foods that are good for the intestines.

2. Pickled cucumbers and eggplants can cause botulinum poisoning if not prepared and stored safely.

According to the Food Safety Department ( Ministry of Health ), botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum in an anaerobic environment (an environment lacking air). Products from vegetables, tubers, fruits, meat, and canned seafood that do not meet food safety conditions are at risk of being contaminated with Clostridium botulinum bacteria and producing botulinum toxin.

The Food Safety Department, Ministry of Health recommends that to prevent botulinum poisoning when eating fermented foods such as pickles, bamboo shoots, pickled eggplants, etc., the food must be sour and salty. When the food is no longer sour, it should not be eaten.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh - former Lecturer of the Institute of Biotechnology and Food, University of Technology, Clostridium botulinum bacteria exist in the environment and can be found in many types of food. Botulinum is a toxin produced in anaerobic environments and unsanitary conditions.

If processed food is not safe and contaminated with bacterial spores and is sealed in bottles, boxes, bags, etc., it will create conditions for bacteria to grow and secrete botulinum toxin into the product.

Pickled eggplant, pickled cucumbers or any other pickled food, if not processed carefully and in an airtight environment, can cause toxins.

Botulinum is more virulent than all other bacteria, and can be dangerous or even fatal if not treated promptly. Therefore, to ensure the safety of traditional fermented foods, the processing method must ensure safety from the raw materials to the food fermentation process.

3. How to eat pickled vegetables to ensure safety?

Pickled cucumbers and eggplants are delicious and stimulate digestion, but if not prepared and eaten properly, they can be harmful to your health. Therefore, to ensure safety, nutritionists advise people to take note of the following measures when preparing and eating pickled cucumbers and eggplants:

- Choose fresh, safe, clear-origin ingredients that are not crushed and do not contain pesticides.

- Wash your hands before preparing food. Wash food with clean water. Cooking utensils such as knives, cutting boards, baskets, etc. must be cleaned thoroughly.

- It is safer to use clean glass or ceramic jars to pickle cucumbers and eggplants.

You should not eat pickled vegetables that are still green.

- When pickling cucumbers, soak them in salt water and use a sealed container. Depending on weather conditions, if it is warm, the fermentation time will be faster. When pickling, keep them in the refrigerator.

- You should not eat pickled cucumbers and eggplants that are still green, because when they are newly fermented, harmful bacteria can develop, and the acidity is not enough to kill this type of bacteria. You should also not eat pickled cucumbers and eggplants that have been left for a long time and have a bad smell, white film, black mold... which is harmful to your health.

- Do not eat too much pickled cucumbers, especially when hungry. When eating, squeeze the cucumbers to reduce the saltiness and acidity of the food.

According to SK&DS

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/song-khoe/dua-ca-muoi-co-gay-ngo-doc-botulinum-khong/249142.htm