Can there be botulism in canned sorrel. Other foods leading to the development of botulism bacillus spores. Meat preparations and botulism

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Home preservation has always been a reminder of sunny summer and fruitful autumn. Recipes passed down from generation to generation delight in winter with warm colors and spicy aromas. However, there are cases of poisoning with canned food and tasty mushrooms on festive table in some cases, they may well send the participants in the meal to a hospital bed. Botulism is usually the culprit in the most severe cases.

The disease is caused by a spore-forming bacterium named Clostridium botulinum and develops within 24 hours of eating contaminated food. The cause of the violation of the state becomes an exotoxin, actively produced in the process of reproduction of clostridium. Unlike many living things on our planet, this bacterium does not like oxygen very much, it is detrimental to it, which greatly simplifies life for a person and reduces the risk of infection with this dangerous disease to a minimum. However, he still manages to find a place under the sun from time to time, and this place is located in a tightly rolled up jar.

Airless space is an ideal condition for the development of bacteria, and if the hostess reduced the amount of vinegar or forgot to add salt, then you can definitely expect trouble from the jar. Not only pickles and jams can become a source of infection, lovers of dried fish and smoked sausages can also face botulism. A feature of infection in this case is nested infection of the product, when only one site becomes dangerous. In such a situation, in a company where everyone ate one rocking chair of sausage or one can of stew, half of the lucky ones may end up in the hospital, while others will feel great.

Can fight bacteria heat, about 120 ° C for half an hour, and a high concentration of salt, sugar or vinegar inhibit its vital activity to a minimum. It is precisely because such harsh conditions are needed to turn pickles into poison that many of them are still alive.

Frequency of occurrence and fear of infection

Despite the prevailing opinion that botulism fatal disease and that home preservation without an autoclave is extremely life-threatening, for last years the incidence rate remains at a very low level. It is encountered more often by people who consume canned food of unknown origin or who neglect the banal rule "a jar is swollen - throw it away."

Statistics show that the risk of being hit by a car or facing a homicidal maniac is much higher than the risk of dying from botulism. And even if you find symptoms of infection in yourself, with an urgent visit to a doctor, the likelihood of a fatal outcome is very small. This is due to the successful use of highly effective anti-botulinum serum. Knowing all this, we can say with confidence that, observing all the rules of canning at home, one should not rush to give up homemade jams and pickles.

Signs of affected products

A rather unpleasant fact is the absence of any external signs botulism in spin.

The only thing that can warn about the unsuitability of food is the presence of turbidity, bubbles, damage to the container, or obvious swelling of the lid.

These signs do not indicate the presence of botulism in canned food, but indicate a violation of the technology for preparing the product and the presence of different kind bacteria, including possibly Clostridium.

How to recognize botulism and how to identify it in a bank is a rather difficult question. It is possible to say for sure about food safety only after the conclusion of the laboratory, however, if the brine in the jar is transparent, it does not bad taste and smell, the lid of the jar is not swollen and not damaged, then in principle you should not be afraid of it.

Signs of infection

In the event that after eating products from the “risk group” you notice a deterioration in your condition, then it is worth noting a few points that are specific to botulism:

• nausea or constipation;
• swallowing disorder;
• severe weakness;
• voice change;
• double vision, grid, or foggy feeling before the eyes.

If even a few symptoms are found, you should immediately contact the infectious disease department of the nearest hospital, where, based on the tests, you can probably find out about the causes of the ailment. You should not self-medicate, as this entails significant risk and prolongs the recovery period. Treatment can be carried out only after determining the type of infection and the introduction of therapeutic serum.

Disease prevention

The prevention of botulism in oneself and loved ones comes down to a set of behavioral rules, the main of which are cleanliness during the canning process, careful processing of products before processing them - this is especially true for mushrooms, the duration of sterilization is at least 15 minutes. A certain way of preparing pickles (adding vinegar and a sufficient amount of salt), storing ready-made canned food in a cold place will help prevent the reproduction of bacteria that accidentally got into the jar. And most importantly - never eat products from damaged and swollen cans.

Following these simple tips will help keep your loved ones and yourself safe from botulism while continuing to enjoy your favorite foods.

Botulism- a serious, potentially fatal infectious disease caused by the ingestion of botulinum toxin. Characterized by defeat nervous system with impaired vision, swallowing, speech and progressive respiratory depression.

Statistics and interesting facts

• For the first time, the disease botulism was documented in 1793, when, after eating blood sausage 13 people fell ill, 6 of whom died. From that moment on, the name botulism came from, which from the Latin language "botulus" - sausage. However, it is assumed that the disease exists as long as there is a person.
• Up to 1000 cases of botulism are registered annually in the world
• Botulism special infectious disease, caused not by the pathogen itself, but by the product of its vital activity (botulinum toxin).
• The disease is not transmitted from person to person.
• Required the slightest amount toxin to develop severe poisoning
• Botulinum toxin (BT) is the most toxic substance known to date.
• BT is a highly stable compound, in normal conditions can be stored up to 1 year, withstanding heat and frost. Stored in canned food for up to a year. BT is stable in an acidic environment and is not neutralized by digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines.
• BT destroy: alkalis, boiling for 15-30 minutes; potassium permanganate, chlorine, iodine for 15-20 minutes.
• BT is used in modern medicine as a medicine for various diseases(neurological, urological, musculoskeletal, disorders, pediatric cerebral paralysis, chronic migraine, etc.), in cosmetology (Botox correction appearance, wrinkles, etc.)

Causes of the disease. Pathogen and its toxins.

The main cause of botulism is the ingestion of botulinum toxin in the body with food. The main sources of toxin are canned foods that have not undergone proper heat treatment: mushrooms, meat, vegetables, fish, etc. All this is due to the special characteristics of the pathogen (Clostridium botulinum), for which an oxygen-free environment best condition for life. Favorable temperature regime 28-35 degrees. Cl. Botulinum is a rod-shaped microorganism that is motile by means of flagella.

When formed, the spore resembles a tennis racket. Clostridia multiply and accumulate in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, waterfowl and fish. Then they are excreted in the feces into the environment. Once in the soil, bacteria turn into spores and are stored in this form. long time. From the soil, the spores get to food, and only when anoxic conditions occur, they begin to germinate and release the toxin.

• Banks and cans with swollen lids are the main danger!!!
• The most frequently reported poisonings are associated with the use of canned mushrooms, smoked and dried fish, meat and sausage products, canned beans.
• Poisoning often occurs when eating canned foods prepared at home.
• Rarely, botulism is caused by poisoning with contaminated honey. This happens more often in formula-fed babies who have consumed honey-based formulas. There are situations when bees, along with nectar, can bring spores of botulism bacteria into the honeycombs. Once in the intestines of the child, spores germinate in active forms, after which they begin to secrete harmful toxins.
• Products containing botulinum toxin do not change color, smell or taste, which makes botulism a very dangerous and insidious disease.

Botulinum toxin, it chemical structure and effect on the body

Clostridium botulinum - the causative agent of botulism, produces 8 types of botulinum toxin (A, B, C1, C2 D, E, F, G). But only 5 of them are toxic to humans (A, B, E, F, G). The most toxic type A.

Botulinum toxin is a protein complex consisting of a neurotoxin and a non-toxic protein. The protein protects the neurotoxin from the damaging effects of enzymes and hydrochloric acid in the stomach. A neurotoxin blocks the transmission of a nerve impulse. This is due to the breakdown of the transport protein necessary for the promotion of acetylcholine (a substance that plays a key role in the transmission nerve impulses) to the nerve synapse. As a result, the muscle does not receive a signal to contract and relaxes.

The pathogenesis of botulism

At the beginning, muscles that are in a state of constant activity (oculomotor muscles, muscles of the pharynx and larynx) are affected. The patient's vision is impaired, he feels a sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, has difficulty swallowing, his voice changes, hoarseness, hoarseness appear. The muscles involved in the act of breathing (diaphragm, intercostal muscles) are affected, which leads to respiratory failure up to respiratory failure. Respiratory depression is facilitated by the accumulation of thick mucus in the larynx and pharynx, as well as the possible entry of vomit into the respiratory tract. Botulinum toxin reduces salivation gastric juice, inhibits motor activity gastrointestinal tract. Mainly the body suffers from a lack of oxygen, respiratory failure is main reason death due to botulism.

Botulinum toxin has also been shown to reduce protective function blood cells (leukocytes) and disrupts the metabolism in red blood cells. What is shown by the decrease immune function organism and attachment various infections, a person is prone to infectious and inflammatory diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.). Violation of vital processes in erythrocytes leads to a violation of oxygen transport and the development of anemia.

Botulism poisoning symptoms and signs

• Acute abdominal pain, predominantly in the center of the abdomen
• Repeated vomiting
• Diarrhea on average 3-5 times a day, but no more than 10 times

• Headache
• Malaise, weakness
• An increase in temperature from subfebrile to 39-40 gr.

Typical signs of botulism

1. Violations of the organ of vision

• Decreased visual acuity, patients poorly distinguish nearby objects, at first they cannot read ordinary text, and then large
• Complain about fog or grid before the eyes
• Double vision
• Drooping of the upper eyelids (ptosis)
• Movement restriction eyeballs
• Strabismus
• Rapid involuntary movements of the eyeballs
• Possible complete immobility of the eyeballs

1. Swallowing and speech disorders

• Dry mouth
• The pitch and timbre of the voice changes, nasal
• With the progression of the disease, the voice becomes hoarse, hoarse, it is possible total loss vote.
• Sensation of a foreign body in the throat
• Swallowing is disturbed. First when swallowing solid food, and then liquid. AT severe cases when trying to swallow water, it begins to pour through the nose.

1. Respiratory disorders

• Lack of air
• Tightness and pain in the chest

1. Movement disorders

• Muscle weakness, patients are inactive
• Muscle weakness increases with disease progression
• First, the back muscles of the neck that support the head weaken. With an increase in the symptom, the patient supports his head with his hands so that it does not fall to the chest.

What does the patient look like at the height of the disease?

Diagnosis of botulism

1. Information that the patient consumed canned foods.
2. Symptoms are characteristic this disease(impaired vision, impaired swallowing and speech, muscle weakness, etc.).
3. Crucial It has laboratory diagnostics , in which botulinum toxin is determined in the blood of patients, vomit, gastric lavage, urine, feces, as well as in food, the use of which could cause poisoning.

Botulism treatment

What can be done before the ambulance arrives?

1. Do gastric lavage. Make washing better 2% soda solution, it creates alkaline environment detrimental to botulinum toxin. Flushing is effective for the first time 2 days of poisoning, when contaminated food may still remain in the stomach.
2. Make a high siphon enema

• Required: 1) 5% sodium bicarbonate solution (baking soda solution) in a volume of up to 10 liters, room temperature. To prepare 1 liter of a 5% soda solution, add 50 g to 1 liter of water. soda (10 tsp). 2) thick gastric tube (2 pieces); 3) funnel 0.5-1 l; 4) jug 5) container for washing water (bucket) 6) vaseline

• Lay the patient on the left side right leg bend at the knee
• Lubricate the rounded end of the probe with Vaseline for 30-40 cm
• Spread the buttocks so that the anus is visible, insert the probe, advancing it slowly and carefully to a depth of 30-40 cm.
• Insert the funnel into the probe, holding it at the level of the buttocks and pour 500ml-1000ml of water into it
• Slowly raise the funnel 30-40 cm above the buttocks, invite the patient to breathe deeply
• As soon as the water approaches the level of the funnel, you should lower it 30-40 cm below the level of the buttocks, and do not turn it over until the washings from the intestines fill it completely
• Then drain the water from the funnel into the prepared container
• Repeat the procedure until all 10 liters of the stock solution are used up.

1. Take an enterosorbent

• White coal (3 tab. 3 times a day)
• Polysorb (3 tablespoons per half glass of water)
• Activated carbon(1g per 10 kg of the patient's weight, for better efficiency crush tablets into powder
• Enterosgel (2-3 tablespoons)

1. Place a drip if possible

• Solutions for drip infusion: Gemodez 400 ml, lactosol, trisol for detoxification and restoration of water-mineral balance
• Glucose solution 5%. + furosemide 20-40 mg to stimulate the formation and excretion of urine

Specific treatment for botulism

• Serum treatment effective for the first time 3 days after poisoning.
• Before the introduction of serum, it is imperative to conduct a test for a foreign protein. Subcutaneously injected first 0.1 ml of diluted horse serum(dilution 1:100). If after 15-20 minutes at the injection site the papule does not exceed 9 mm and the redness is limited, then 0.1 ml of undiluted serum is injected. If there is no reaction after 30 minutes, the entire therapeutic dose is already administered.
• When positive sample serum is administered only in severe cases of the disease and against the background of taking antiallergic drugs (glucocorticoid and antihistamines).

• Homologous plasma 250 ml 2 times a day
• Human botulinum immunoglobulin

Prevention of botulism

1. Proper cleaning and processing of food products, compliance with all canning standards.
2. Do not eat canned food and food from jars with a swollen lid. If you suspect that the canned product is contaminated with botulinum toxin, you should boil it for at least 30 minutes.
3. Store products that are not subject to heat treatment (sausages, salted and smoked fish, lard) at a temperature not exceeding 10 ° C
4. Persons who have consumed the same food with sick people should be under medical supervision for 10-12 days. And they also need to enter enterosorbents and 2000 IU of antitoxic anti-botulinum serum A, B and E.
5. Persons who have or may have been exposed to botulinum toxin should be vaccinated. Vaccination is carried out with polyanatoxin in three stages: the second vaccination is given 45 days after the first, and the third 60 days after the 2nd.

Complications of botulism

• Most frequent complications fall to the share respiratory system. Due to the fact that with a disturbed act of swallowing, water and accepted food can enter the respiratory tract causing various inflammatory processes (pneumonia, purulent bronchitis, tracheitis). This is also facilitated by a violation of the discharge of sputum and mucus, as well as the ability of botulinum toxin to suppress the immune system.
• Rarely, inflammation may develop. parotid gland(mumps).
• Inflammation of the muscles (myositis) occurs, often affects calf muscles. The disease occurs for 2-3 weeks severe course botulism.
• Acute respiratory failure, as a result of a sharp and complete relaxation of the respiratory muscles. It is the main cause of death in botulism.
• Violation of functions from the nervous, muscular system, as well as from the organs of vision that occur during the disease are completely reversible and after recovery do not leave consequences.

Rare forms of botulism

wound botulism

The onset of symptoms of the disease from the moment of infection is 4-14 days.
One form of wound botulism is botulism in drug addicts. The disease occurs when "black heroin or black tar" is injected, the source material of which has been contaminated with soil and contaminated with spores. When suppuration occurs at the injection sites, favorable conditions are created for the vital activity of bacteria and the release of toxin into the blood.

Infant botulism

When bacterial spores enter the child's intestines, they find favorable environment and turn into active forms that release a deadly toxin. Botulinum toxin is absorbed into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body, affecting the nervous and muscular system of the child.
The first possible symptoms of botulism in children are:

• Lethargy, poor suckling, or complete failure From him
• The appearance of visual impairments (drooping of the upper eyelids, strabismus, restriction of the movement of the eyeballs or their complete immobility), hoarse crying, choking should be an alarm for parents. After that, you should immediately contact a specialized medical care.

Forecast

Botulism - Severe and Deadly dangerous pathology infectious group that affects the human central nervous system.

The causative agents are microbes (anaerobic) that can exist without oxygen. Under favorable conditions, they are able to multiply rapidly, while releasing a particularly harmful toxin - botulinum toxin. It is 400,000 times stronger than the bite of a rattlesnake.

Bacterial spores live in the soil, so they can get into canned food through vegetables (fruits, mushrooms or grains) that are poorly cleaned from the ground, unsterile jars, and dirty hands.

Worth knowing:

• disease-causing bacteria are highly resistant. The most attractive habitat for them is home canned food that has not undergone proper heat treatment in a sterilizer or autoclave;
• microbial spores can withstand heat treatment up to 100 degrees even for several hours. They die only at a temperature of 120 degrees, if the treatment is carried out for about half an hour;
• canned products prepared at the factory undergo special processing, therefore they are safer;
• so that bacteria do not appear in pickled cucumbers or other pickles, they must be stored in dark and cool places.

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

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

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

• lid swelling,
• jar surface,
• cloudiness,
• pallor of canned broth.

This product should be thrown away immediately.

What foods cause botulism from canned food:

• Tomato juice, tomato paste are the least susceptible to the development of botulism due to low content acids;
• Pickled mushrooms are more prone to botulism, dirt accumulated on their surface, improper heat treatment, broken preservation technology, increases the risk of its development;
• Jam, pickled and canned vegetables can also become the subject of infection if they are not properly cooked and twisted.

What to do so that the twisted product is only a joy:

• Clean, wash food before you start preservation;
• Sterilize jars for at least 20-30 minutes, do not shorten the time;
• Add non-expired acetic acid in the marinade, the acidity should be above 1.5%;
• Engage in the process of preparing canned food only in a sterile place where there is no dust, crumbs and other debris;
• Can only fresh food, without flaws.

Other foods leading to the development of spores of bacillus botulism

What products, the use of which leads to botulism, have we not talked about yet?

Often, canned legumes are a source of botulism, especially when they are rolled up with pods, such as young beans or peas. Such seaming better at home do not do it, but throw it away cloudy and swollen without regret.

Strange as it may seem, but such spicy seasonings as garlic, horseradish, hot pepper can also become a source of botulism if they are cooked incorrectly - without the addition of vinegar and filled with oil when air cannot enter. It is impossible to determine the infection by appearance, sometimes small air bubbles can accumulate at the top.

Not everyone knows that honey can also be dangerous. There is a high probability that spores of botulism sticks get into honey, they do not develop in it, do not vegetate, and are not dangerous for adults. Children can get sick infancy, and who receive mixtures with the addition of honey, as well as babies and older - up to 2-3 years. The immune system the child is still weak, in the intestines are created good conditions for the development of sticks from spores, therefore it is not recommended to give honey to children under 3 years old.

Home-made preparations cannot be banned, these are favorite products cooked to the desired taste. You just need to decide whether you can follow all the rules for processing and sterilization in order to eliminate the possibility of poisoning.

Botulism develops in dishes with low level acidity, salt, poorly processed during cooking.

On the fingers, you can list products that are immune from infection with Clostridium:

1. Pickled cucumbers are dangerous for botulinum toxin. An unfavorable environment for reproduction, the presence of oxygen does not allow infectious agents to spread.
2. Tomato juice has a low pH and is not suitable for Clostridium. Tomato in borsch is not a threat!
3. Sour canned foods prevent the development of infection. If bacteria got under the jar during cooking, they will not be able to release a dangerous toxin under such conditions.

Treatment of pathology takes a lot of time, leads to complications. If you eat high-quality food, properly prepare preservation, nothing will threaten your health.

Signs of a toxic-infectious disease in conservation

The most main danger botulinum toxin lies in the fact that it is not noticeable visually and to taste. In addition, microorganisms can develop only in part of the product, without affecting the entire contents of the jar. Only in some cases can botulism be suspected of conservation. Signs in mushrooms and vegetables can be expressed in a swollen lid. If this is obvious, such a preparation should never be eaten, it can be deadly.

Moreover, mushrooms are the most prone to this problem. It is they in canned form that often lead to infection. This is explained very simply: if the mushrooms are not thoroughly cleaned of soil pollution before salting, they become a source of clostridia. With insufficiently thorough sterilization of containers, microorganisms multiply immediately after seaming. Thus, salted and pickled mushrooms can always be a potentially dangerous product.

Mushrooms and root crops are most often infected with clostridia, and other vegetables to a lesser extent. Biggest Risk are carrots and beets, as soil particles most often remain on them. To protect yourself, you need to wash the vegetables to be preserved very carefully. This must be done under running water and repeated several times, which will reduce the danger of botulism in conservation.

Signs in cucumbers and other canned vegetables can be expressed not only in a swollen lid, but also in gas bubbles on the surface of the workpiece. In addition, the cloudy consistency of the contents of the jar can also mean danger. It is worth remembering that botulinum toxin can only be detected laboratory way, and the above signs may indicate contamination of the product with other microorganisms.

You can try to test canned food for botulism by carefully examining the product itself and its packaging. However, it is still impossible to give a 100% guarantee that canned food is safe. With a high degree of probability.

You can say that the content is infected if:

• on the glass jar the lid is swollen, on the tin - the sides;
• cloudy content;
• spontaneous opening of the lid on the bank;
• bubbles in brine, marinade (this is not visible in vacuum packaging, since there is practically no liquid in it).

All this may indicate not only signs of botulism in conservation, but also be the result of the activity of other bacteria.

By characteristic symptoms the disease is easy to identify.

Cupping signs of the presence of the causative agent of botulism are not easy to identify. In some cases, clostridial activity is on the face, in others, the case ends with an intensive care unit.

Main external manifestations botulism in a jar:

1. An unattractive shell should alert in the first place. If the lid of the jar is swollen, canned food should not be eaten.
2. The content fades, becomes cloudy.
3. Preservation under a rusty lid does not always indicate a disease, but it can indicate prescription and possible danger of products.
4. Bubbles of gases inside the jar are a sign of the active life of Clostridium. Canned food is prohibited.
5. Comes from canned food bad smell(rare sign).
6. The taste of the delicacy becomes specific.

The constant mutation of microbial cells, the daily mutability of living bacteria leads to a high adaptive reaction of the latter. No one gives a 100% guarantee of the safety of an unmodified conservation. Microorganisms, so as not to be calculated, do not show the presence inside the jar. A person eats a seemingly attractive canned food, and after a couple of days lies on hospital bed. Signs of botulism in canned food don't always stop intrepid people.

Meat, vegetables, fish, mushrooms closed products help out on cold winter evenings, when store products do not please the wallet. high risk botulism infection makes you wonder - is it worth risking your health for a few spoonfuls of conservation?

There are two ways to avoid the occurrence of pathology: refuse to preserve or cook everything according to the rules, carefully selecting products.

After about 12 hours, signs of botulism poisoning appear. After a person has eaten a canned product home cooking with botulism, primarily felt:

• dry mouth
• mist in the eyes
• double vision,
• symmetrical weakness in the shoulders, arms and legs,
• yet normal! body temperature, blood pressure and pulse,
• diarrhea and vomiting are optional, but quite common.

The toxin first hits the autonomic nervous system. There is a feeling that the eyes are doubled. The patient experiences a lump in the esophagus, it is difficult for him to swallow, and at first solid food, then liquid. It seems that the lesion grows from top to bottom.

Botulinum toxin blocks the transmission of impulses from the nerve to the muscle. The muscle does not work, because the signal does not come to it - the neuromuscular transmission is disturbed. Muscles gradually stop moving up to complete paralysis. The person stops breathing when fully conscious. Botulism can be fatal.

How botulism gets into conservation and how to recognize it

Bacteria can get into conservation in several ways:

• with soil, i.e. with poorly washed vegetables, berries, mushrooms;
• through the intestines of dead animals;
• through poorly washed or sterilized dishes.

Meat that is prepared for salting or curing can carry the risk of infection. Poor processing is the path to infection. Fans of sweet blanks are interested in whether botulism can be in jam that housewives prepare for the winter. In fact, it's quite likely. This is especially true of fresh berries grated with sugar.

Recognizing botulism is not easy. Often, in appearance, harvested vegetables or meat are no different from quality product. Even the taste and smell will not give out poisoned preservation. But there are points by which you can understand how to determine botulism in a jar. Signs of botulism in canned food:

• a swollen lid (the fault of this gas is a waste product of bacteria);
• turbidity in the bank;
• bubbles;
• mold.

The reactions taking place in the bank are not visible in full. These manifestations are only a small part of what happens to the product inside the container. With a swollen lid, cloudiness may not be. But if you notice any sign, it is better to immediately set aside such preservation. The taste and smell can not know the presence of a toxin in the product. It is worth paying attention also to the foam under the lid.

It must be remembered that some canned foods are more prone to the appearance of botulism in them:

• mushrooms (a lot of microbes remain on them, they must be processed very carefully);
• berries (botulism in jam is also common);
• dried vegetables, fish and meat;
• stew;
• fish.

As for fish, this is the product that you need to choose very carefully. Botulism bacteria are found in the intestines of animals. Improper cutting and handling of carcasses can be life threatening. You should not buy dried fish from people you don't know well.

Why Canned Botulism Survives

Symptoms of the disease

The first symptoms of the disease can appear both after a few hours and after 3-5 days. At first, the pathology is manifested by impaired functioning digestive tract, as after ordinary poisoning, and the patient has:

• vomit;
• nausea;
• diarrhea;
• stomach ache.

For changing gastrointestinal disorders come so specific clinical symptoms botulism like:

• muscle weakness (it is difficult for the victim to stand, move, take something in his hands);
• manifestation of dry mouth;
• nasal voice;
• violation of speech and the act of swallowing;
• lack of facial expressions (amimia);
• pronounced bloating;
• constipation due to decreased intestinal motility;
• increased heart rate;
• increase in blood pressure;
• superficial nature of breathing with increasing respiratory failure;
• dilated pupils (inability to focus on any object);
• pale integuments of the skin due to vascular spasm;
• urinary retention.

How to protect yourself from botulism infection

The botulism bacterium is very tenacious in the soil. Therefore, the main rule of prevention is cleanliness in the kitchen and hand hygiene. It is also important to know that the disease can be of several types. Foodborne botulism is the most well-known type of the disease. But they also distinguish wound and children's botulism. At wound infection enters the body through an open wound. Prevention measures include the following:

1. Do not eat vegetables from jars with swollen lids. This is the first and most main feature botulism. Such products have no place on the table.
2. When canning marinades (blanks with the addition of vinegar) are safer than just pickles. Vinegar neutralizes botulinum toxin (while a strong concentration of salt does not interfere with his life).
3. It is important to know at what temperature botulism dies. If you have any doubts before using canned food, you need to remember what botulism is afraid of, boiling is the most effective measure.
4. If a canned product is bought in a store, it is important to pay attention to the harvest date and expiration date.
5. Every housewife needs to know the rules of preservation and prepare pickles for the winter only by prescription.
6. To prevent wound botulism, you need to properly wash and treat wounds.
7. In order not to become infected with infantile botulism, you should not give honey to children under one year old.

Botulism can occur suddenly when a person eats their own food. Even if salt and vinegar are used in harvesting, botulism microbes are not always an obstacle. Once in a jar with dirty food, bacteria can survive in a brine prepared according to all the rules. It is important for all housewives to know how to kill botulism in a jar.

Botulinum toxin is destroyed by boiling for half an hour - this should be remembered if you are alerted by canned food purchased or prepared on your own. If an unpleasant situation occurs, and you feel signs of illness, it is important to immediately call an ambulance and rinse your stomach. With data infectious disease It is better not to joke and trust competent doctors. In this case, the prognosis of treatment will be favorable.

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

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

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

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

Many naively believe that botulism occurs exclusively in mushroom, fish or canned meat. In fact, any other hermetically sealed products can carry a danger.

What other canned foods can contain botulism:

• in home compotes and juices;
• in jams and preserves;
• in canned vegetables (in squash caviar, in tomatoes, etc.);
• in canned fruits, etc.

However, the most common risks are:

• Homemade marinated mushrooms. It is impossible to completely wash off soil particles from mushrooms (small grains of soil remain inaccessible in the depths of the plates and tubes of mushrooms), as a result, spores fall into the jar, the process of bacterial development starts. Especially dangerous is the fact that jars with mushroom blanks do not always swell, there may also be no other signs of botulism. Thus, the contents are eaten and the person becomes ill. The number of deaths from botulism, caused by canned mushrooms, is the largest.
• Meat stew. It occupies an “honorable” second place after mushrooms in terms of the number of infections. In homemade meat stew, there is also a high probability of the presence of clostridium. Store-bought versions of this product are much less dangerous, because in production it undergoes high-temperature processing. But you still need to check the contents of the cans for appearance and look at the expiration dates.

The time for the development of botulism in canned jars is always different and depends on a number of factors:

• From temperature (bacteria develop faster in heat).
• From the amount of protein in the canned product (if there is little protein in vegetables, the development of botulism bacteria can last up to a year, and in meat, fish and mushrooms - a maximum of a month and a half).
• From the initial number of spores (the more of them got into the jar, the faster the infection of the product with bacteria will occur).
• From the shelf life (the longer the infected product is stored, the more botulinum toxin it contains).
• From tightness.
• From the presence of other bacteria and microorganisms in the same jar (for example, clostridia do not get along with lactic acid bacteria, yeast, mold, and also do not take root well in fermented foods).

And if favorable conditions have arisen that are necessary for the development of botulinum bacillus (warmth, lack of oxygen), this pathogen can develop in any product into which its spores have fallen.

Botulism poisoning: what to do, how to be treated?

If a person has symptoms of intoxication, and you find signs of botulism in conservation, urgently call an ambulance!

First aid measures will also not bring much success, since botulinum toxin is quickly absorbed into the blood plasma. But if possible, if no more than 2-3 hours have passed after eating spoiled canned food, you can wash the stomach. Then, without wasting time, deliver the victim to the hospital. Doctors will determine the type of toxins and inject the necessary serum.

• cleansing the body;
• elimination of neurological symptoms.

Today, botulism has been successfully treated, and it is extremely rare to die from it. Treat in two ways:

• Anti-botulinum serum - an injection with antibodies-immunoglobulins.
• In the extreme, if the patient stops breathing, the only way save life becomes artificial ventilation.

In most cases, botulism poisoning has a favorable outcome, without irreversible changes. A person is not allowed to die from respiratory arrest and gradually life activity is restored. But not as fast as we would like. Treatment can last from 1 month to six months. All this time the person lies on the device artificial ventilation lungs.

An interesting fact is that in very small doses, botulinum toxin is used in cosmetology.

Botulism in jam: an unhealthy dessert.

If we talk about what products botulism occurs 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 of procurement of supplies was not sterile clean, there was dirt, dust, crumbs, dishes and jars that were not sterilized and washed;
• If the ingredients of the future jam were not carefully chosen and selected.

Prevention measures:

• Sort fruits and berries before cooking. Soft, beaten, rotten, they are not even suitable for wine and tinctures;
• Sterilize the jars according to the 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 botulism poisoning. The disease leads to death in 65% of cases.

Prevention of botulism

It is easy to get poisoned by home products, but it is difficult to treat pathology. Botulism does not occur out of the blue, it is preceded by many factors. If they are eliminated, the infection cannot form inside the jar. Disease prevention:

1. Before cooking, carefully process tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, meat from dirt. You will have time to preserve the pathogen along with food, it is better to spend a couple extra hours for thorough cleaning of products from contamination.
2. To avoid unforeseen situations, cook according to the recipe, do not engage in experiments that can end in failure.
3. A preventive measure for botulism is pasteurization. Disease prevention depends on the processing of canned food.
4. At the first sign of clostridia, dispose of the missing product. Try to protect yourself from infection in the early stages.

All jars with swollen or spontaneously opened lids must be disposed of immediately. It is strictly forbidden to use such products, even after heat treatment.

Mushrooms and meat products, which cannot be completely cleared of spores, should be harvested only in leaky closed containers, since this provides oxygen access during the canning process.

For reference. When preparing mushrooms, it is necessary to use marinades with an acidity of 0.4-0.9% for canning porcini mushrooms, and for cooking black mushrooms - 0.3-0.5%.

Before preserving, salting or marinating, all products must be thoroughly washed. The use of spoiled and damaged vegetables is not allowed.

All products that do not contain natural acids should only be prepared according to recipes that include the addition of required amount acid needed to provide long-term storage blanks.

For the manufacture of fish pickles, curing, etc. only fish caught in the net (no hook injury), quickly butchered (removal of the entrails), not kept warm (quick frozen) can be used.

During cooking, the fish must be in an unsealed container.

For reference. All products (canned food, marinades, stews, etc.) should be stored in conditions no higher than 3-4 degrees. At this temperature, as a rule, there is no transition of spore forms into toxin-producing ones. The exception is Clostridium serovar E. This type of botulinum clostridia is capable of producing toxins even at a temperature of 3 degrees.

Most effective method prevention is the refusal to use products prepared at home, in violation of sanitary requirements and also without careful heat treatment.

Botulism - serious disease affecting the central nervous system. It occurs suddenly and most often after a person has eaten home-cooked mushrooms, dried, salted, smoked partial or red fish, homemade ham, ham or sausage, canned vegetables and fruits. Microbes - the causative agents of botulism - are anaerobes, which means that they live only in an oxygen-free environment and under these conditions produce a toxin - a strong poison that causes the disease.

The causative agents of botulism live in the soil in the form of spores covered with a shell. With the soil, they get to vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, various plants creeping along the ground (purslane, beans, peas), into the intestines of domestic animals and birds, and together with silt penetrate into the intestines of fish.

The spores are heat tolerant and tolerate high concentrations. They also withstand boiling for 2-5 hours. But they themselves are not poisonous and do not cause poisoning.

A deadly toxin is released by botulism pathogens in conditions favorable for their reproduction (low acidity of the environment, the presence of nutrients, lack of oxygen). It usually takes 10-12 hours or more for the spores to germinate and release the toxin. This is why freshly cooked foods never cause botulism.

Home canned food jars that have been contaminated with botulism sometimes have lids that swell due to gas buildup. But very often, canned food, hams, fish, poisoned with the toxin of botulism pathogens, look completely benign, do not change their appearance, smell, or taste. This is the special insidiousness of botulism pathogens!

Botulinum toxin, having entered the human intestine with food, causes severe poisoning, which can lead to a tragic outcome if you do not seek medical help in time. Children are especially sensitive to poison.

The disease begins acutely, after 3-24 hours, sometimes several days after the ingestion of botulinum toxin. At the beginning of the disease, the patient complains of intestinal upset,. Then vision deteriorates sharply, double vision appears (“grid before the eyes”, “objects in the fog”) - By the end of the first day from the onset of the disease, vision deteriorates significantly, pupils dilate sharply, strabismus occurs and very often omission (ptosis) of one or both century, while double vision continues. The patient's voice often becomes hoarse, hoarse, nasal, and sometimes disappears altogether. It becomes difficult to swallow, movements are difficult, muscle weakness increases: a person cannot hold his head - it falls forward and to one side.

At the first symptoms of botulism, it is urgent to call an ambulance, as the patient needs emergency care. Before the arrival of the doctor, it is necessary to wash his stomach, since botulinum toxin is not destroyed under the influence of digestive juices. The patient is given to drink 2-3 glasses of water, adding a teaspoon to each, and then they press on the root of the tongue with a spoon handle and induce vomiting.

Protecting yourself from botulism is not difficult at all. It is not necessary to make canned food at home in hermetically sealed jars from meat, fish, mushrooms, some types of greens (purslane, dill) and some vegetables (carrots, beets). After all, it is difficult to completely wash them from small particles of soil and spores of botulism pathogens, which germinate in hermetically sealed jars and form a toxin.

You can not smoke and dry fish at home. There is always a danger that the spores of botulinum pathogens that may be in the intestines of the fish will penetrate into the thickness of its muscles and there, without oxygen, they will germinate and form botulinum toxin.

When canning vegetables and fruits, according to the recipes given in the home canning guides, it is necessary to add citric or acetic acid to the brine syrup: acidic environment inhibits the vital activity of causative agents of botulism, and consequently, the formation of toxin. Vegetables and fruits intended for canning must be free of signs of spoilage and rot; they must be repeatedly and thoroughly rinsed in running water. Homemade canned food should be cooked for 15-20 minutes before eating!

In no case should mushrooms be preserved at home in hermetically sealed jars! Home canned food should be stored in the refrigerator or in the cellar. A jar with a swollen lid should be discarded. Since, as already mentioned, the botulinum microbe and toxin often do not change the appearance, taste and smell of the food product, home-made canned food should be placed in a saucepan before meals, boiled for 15-20 minutes and cooled. Boiling will destroy the toxin if it is formed in canned food. The contents of an open tin that has lain in the refrigerator for more than 36 hours must be boiled again before eating. Boiling, boiling, frying food and canned food before eating is the main measure for the prevention of botulism. Since children are especially sensitive to botulinum toxin, they should not have any home-canned foods that have not been heat-treated.

Worried about their health, many people on the planet today have abandoned most of the products that can cause botulism. This disease is also familiar to the inhabitants of Russia, although it is not common, there is a risk of getting the causative agent of this serious disease. For the first time, the world learned about the existence of botulism at the end of the 18th century, but the disease received its modern name at the end of the 19th century, and Hungarian specialists identified it. Today, many people want to know what causes botulism and what symptoms it has, and this particular magazine will help you figure it out.

Causes, symptoms and course of botulism

Despite the fact that botulism is not one of the most common diseases and no more than a thousand people fall ill with it worldwide every year, you need to be careful, because it is possible that you will also become part of an unpleasant statistic. Before considering the issue of botulism, in which products it occurs, it is worth getting to know it better and find out what are the first symptoms of its manifestation and how the disease proceeds. It is also important to know what causes the disease and how it can be avoided.

First of all, you should know that the disease occurs as a result of damage to the body by toxins secreted by the botulism bacterium. Its complexity lies in the fact that the central autonomic nervous system is damaged, and even those who escaped death, and death occurs in about half of the cases, experience serious complications health. The development of this deadly bacterium is possible only in the absence of oxygen, so the spores of the bacteria can live underground for a long time, from where they then get to the surface. It is characteristic that, unlike other pathogens, these bacteria do not die during drying, freezing, and even boiling. Botulism is often found in homemade products, so the risk of getting botulism is huge, and the cause can be improper preparation and preservation of ordinary products.

Among the products included in the "risk group", mushrooms can be distinguished, therefore, signs of botulism can often be found in mushrooms, since they have close contact with the ground, where the botulism bacteria develop. It is not uncommon to find botulism in conservation, and signs in cucumbers, and this is the result of non-compliance with the rules of conservation. One more characteristic feature The disease has a short incubation period, and in some cases, symptoms of the disease appear as early as two hours after infection. Serious consequences are also associated with the fact that botulism in conservation, signs in stew, for example, resemble a common indigestion, so patients try to cope with these symptoms on their own, which seriously aggravates the situation.

The first symptoms of the disease are headache and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, which is manifested by pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea. Botulism in preservation, signs in mushrooms, as in other products, are also weakness of the body, dizziness and fever, but visual impairment should be of particular concern, and it begins to fall, literally, before our eyes. If, in addition to this, it has become difficult for you to swallow, then this is definitely not a sore throat or an upset stomach, but a reason to take serious measures, and only specialists can cure botulism, while self-treatment in this case unacceptable.

How to prevent the occurrence of the disease

Causes of botulism in preservation and improperly prepared foods is a proven fact, and among hazardous products, in addition to canned food, also dried fish and meat, other products prepared in violation of technology. How to avoid botulism during conservation - this question is asked by many housewives involved in the preparation of products for the winter, albeit in canned food industrial production pathogenic bacteria have been allocated repeatedly, and you can protect yourself by not buying expired products in the first place. Botulism dies when boiled - this is what many people say, and this is indeed true, but it’s only worth remembering that the boiling point should exceed 120 degrees, and if the disease is in its infancy, you can protect yourself by boiling food for five minutes, disputes the field of five-hour boiling perishes.

Botulism and fungi

If you do not know how to avoid botulism in conservation, then you should remember that he is afraid of salting and pickling, and this will be enough to avoid the appearance and reproduction of bacteria. Botulism in pickled mushrooms, meanwhile, is not a rare phenomenon, and the reason may be their poor processing and getting into a jar of earth, and it is the source of the disease. Botulism in conservation, its signs in tomatoes are also not uncommon, and this is also associated with poor processing of products and violation of preservation technology, and it is known that all preservation must undergo heat treatment and sterilization.

What botulism looks like in mushrooms is a question that is difficult to answer, since it does not appear outwardly, but its consequences are clearly visible. You have to be more careful with mushrooms, because more often people die not from toadstools, but from botulism in pickled mushrooms, but all losses are successfully attributed to inedible mushrooms. How to destroy botulism in mushrooms - such a question can be heard quite often, and the answer here is unambiguous - it is necessary to properly process the products, while it is better to boil the fruits of the forest for a long time (at least five hours), although many believe that for some varieties this is not important.

Mushrooms are often poorly cleaned, and then doused with boiling water, believing that this is enough. As a result, botulism, because no one knows how to determine botulism in mushrooms, and only special analysis, but at home it is not realistic to do it. We can only think about how to destroy botulism in mushrooms. Follow the elementary precautions described above, although experts advise against preserving mushrooms altogether, and in no case should you buy mushrooms from strangers.

Botulism in cucumbers and tomatoes

Although not as common as in mushrooms, botulism also occurs in cucumbers, so spoiled and overripe vegetables and fruits should not be covered. Also, do not eat products from a swollen can - the first sign of a violation of conservation technology. If the disease affects cucumbers, there is botulism in preservation, signs are also present in tomatoes, so tomatoes must also be pickled or salted. There is no need to talk about the fact that vegetables should be washed well, although indifferent housewives often neglect these requirements.

Botulism in jam - proven by experts

Many people ask if there is botulism in jam, to which experts unequivocally answer that if there is botulism in preservation, signs in jam are far from uncommon, so evil bacteria can also lurk in this harmless sweetness. Botulism in jam can also be defeated by following minimal precautions such as sterilization and heat treatment. We hope that now such questions as whether there can be botulism in jam and whether it occurs in other products will no longer arise.

No one is asking you to give up home canning, because you can protect yourself by observing elementary rules, although experts identify a number of products, the conservation of which at home is better to refuse. These are, in particular, mushrooms (as already mentioned), meat, fish and greens. In the case of meat and fish, you can use an autoclave, which usually kills the botulinum bacteria.