How can we prevent botulinum poisoning?

PLEASE NOTE REGARDING HAND-PACKAGED, SEALED FOODS

Regarding the recent cases of botulinum poisoning, in an interview with Thanh Nien newspaper, a leader of the Food Safety Department (FSD) - Ministry of Health said that since 2020 and at the beginning of this year, when some localities had severe botulinum poisoning cases, the FSD has continuously issued documents requesting the Food Safety Management Boards and Food Safety and Hygiene Sub-departments of provinces and cities to strengthen inspection and supervision of food processing and trading establishments, suspending the operation of establishments causing poisoning, and establishments producing and trading without meeting the conditions or posing a risk of food poisoning.

Having missed the 'golden time' for botulinum detoxification, two patients are now in critical condition.

The Department specifically noted that localities need to strengthen the provision of food poisoning prevention measures for the public; focusing on guiding people not to seal food tightly to avoid the appearance of toxins in an anaerobic environment. The use of vacuum sealing devices should be limited, as they create an anaerobic environment favorable for the growth of Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) bacteria. People should only consume food from safe sources, processed and stored under safe and hygienic conditions.

People need to cook food thoroughly and boil water before drinking, and choose food with clear origins to avoid food poisoning.

INCREASE CONSUMPTION OF COOKED FOOD AND BOILED DRINKS

According to the Ministry of Health , botulinum poisoning is usually caused by consuming foods containing this toxin, which is produced by the bacterium C. botulinum.

The bacterium C. botulinum exists in many different environments. In unfavorable environments, it forms a protective outer layer (spores). When it encounters a favorable environment with nutrients, and especially in an oxygen-deficient environment, these spores break through the outer layer, grow, and produce toxins. Therefore, consuming food that is not safe and is packaged in airtight containers poses the highest risk of botulinum poisoning. Foods such as vegetables, fruits, and seafood also risk contamination with C. botulinum if they are not safe and are not properly packaged.

Common food types that easily cause botulinum poisoning include those that are manually processed and packaged, produced on a small scale, by households, or under substandard production conditions.

In particular, the trend of food poisoning is increasing worldwide due to the widespread use of vacuum-sealed food containers, inadequate food preservation, and failure to thoroughly cook food before consumption.

From the shortage of botulinum antitoxin, a mechanism for purchasing and stockpiling rare drugs has been proposed.

COMPLICATIONS OF TOTAL MUSCLE PARALYSIS

According to the Ministry of Health, the main symptom of botulinum poisoning is bilateral symmetrical paralysis radiating downwards. Patients may experience paralysis of all muscles to varying degrees, although they may remain conscious. Severe poisoning leads to respiratory muscle paralysis and respiratory failure, resulting in death.

Botulinum poisoning has a high mortality rate and can cause prolonged paralysis. Patients requiring mechanical ventilation typically take about two months to be weaned off the ventilator, and recovery takes many more months thereafter.

Botulinum poisoning can also cause other complications due to prolonged treatment, such as: hospital-acquired infections, pneumonia and complications from mechanical ventilation; complications from immobilization and prolonged bed rest, ulcers; paralytic ileus, constipation, reflux, and aspiration pneumonia.

The toxin of C. botulinum is more potent than the toxins of other bacteria, withstands the mildly acidic environment of the stomach but is inactivated by alkali and high temperatures of 120°C for 5 minutes, 80°C for 10 minutes, or boiling for several minutes.

The bacterium C. botulinum is common in the environment and can therefore be transmitted through unsafe food practices during production, transportation, storage, and consumption. Canned and packaged foods that are processed crudely are particularly susceptible to C. botulinum contamination. Industrially canned foods often use nitric acid to inhibit botulinum toxin.

(Source: Ministry of Health)

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