People are being urged to stop eating fermented fish to prevent food poisoning.

Authorities in Phuoc Chanh and Phuoc Nang communes, Da Nang city, are intensifying efforts to raise awareness, conduct inspections, and advise residents on preventing food poisoning from botulinum toxin in fermented fish dishes.

This is a familiar traditional dish of the people in mountainous areas; however, if the processing, fermentation, or preservation methods are not safe, the food can produce botulinum toxin. This is a very dangerous toxin that can cause severe poisoning, even death, for those who consume it.

More than three months have passed since her three children were poisoned by the fermented fish dish she made herself, yet Mrs. Ho Thi Thuong is still haunted by the memory. In fact, without the urgent assistance of the World Health Organization providing an antidote specifically for botulinum toxin, treating patients with botulinum poisoning would be extremely difficult.

Educating people to abandon the consumption of fermented fish is crucial to completely prevent the risk of botulinum poisoning - Image 1.

Ms. Ho Thi Huong, a resident of Phuoc Nang commune, shared that since that tragic incident, her family no longer dares to make sour fish dishes and has become more conscious of eating cooked food and drinking boiled water to protect their health.

Fermented fish is a long-standing traditional dish of the Bh'nong people in the mountainous region of Da Nang city. After being caught in rivers and streams near the village, the fish are mixed with rice and placed in a sealed jar of salt for about a week. This anaerobic environment creates favorable conditions for the rapid growth of Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which produce a highly potent toxin.

To date, thanks to awareness campaigns, most of the Bh'nong people have become aware of the dangers of this dish; Ms. Ho Thi Ly, a resident of Phuoc Nang commune, said that doctors came to her house to warn her not to eat sour fish because it contains dangerous toxins.

For over three months now, authorities in mountainous communes have formed task forces to visit each household and remind people to stop making this dish. Some communes, such as Phuoc Nang and Phuoc Chanh, have even asked residents to sign pledges not to process or consume fermented fish in order to completely cut off the source of the food poisoning.

Educating people to abandon the consumption of fermented fish to completely prevent the risk of botulinum poisoning - Photo 2.

Mr. Le Duc Tai, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuoc Chanh commune, affirmed that thanks to active implementation, people's awareness of using fermented fish has changed very positively, and there are no longer any cases of food poisoning related to this dish recorded in the area.

According to toxicology experts, botulinum poisoning is a very rare form of poisoning, but its consequences are particularly serious because the toxin directly attacks the body's nerves. People who consume food containing botulinum toxin have a high risk of death or face severe complications later on.

Furthermore, treating botulinum poisoning is extremely expensive, with each dose of the specific antidote costing hundreds of millions of VND. Therefore, abandoning the habit of preparing and consuming fermented foods that do not meet safety standards is the best and most decisive measure to completely prevent botulinum poisoning and protect people's lives.

Source: https://vtv.vn/van-dong-nguoi-dan-bo-mon-ca-u-chua-de-ngan-chan-ngo-doc-100260525181544585.htm