Botulism - Prevention
To prevent botulism of the foodborne variety, people who practice home-canning should follow strict hygienic procedures to reduce contamination. A guideline for botulism prevention in wounds involves promptly seeking medical care for infected wounds and not using injectable street drugs. Botulism prevention in infants includes not feeding honey to children less than 1 year of age.
Foodborne Botulism Prevention:
The conditions under which Clostridium botulinum spores germinate and produce toxin are:
- Absence of oxygen
- Low acidity levels
- Temperatures between 40 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit (4.5 to 49 degrees Celsius).
These conditions can easily develop in improperly stored home-cooked or commercial foods, as well as in canned foods that have not been prepared with proper canning procedures.
Foodborne botulism has often occurred from home-canned foods with low acid content, such as:- Asparagus
- Green beans
- Beets
- Corn.
However, outbreaks of botulism can also occur from more unusual sources, such as: - Chopped garlic in oil
- Chile peppers
- Tomatoes
- Improperly handled baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil
- Home-canned or fermented fish.
People who engage in home canning should follow strict hygienic procedures to reduce contamination of foods. Some suggestions include:
- Refrigerate oils infused with garlic or herbs
- Keep baked potatoes cooked in aluminum foil hot until they are served, or refrigerate them
- Boil home-canned foods for 10 minutes before eating to ensure safety.
- Botulism Prevention in Infants
Because honey can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum, and this has been a source of infection for infants, children less than 12 months old should not be fed honey. Honey is safe for people 1 year of age and older.
Botulism Prevention in WoundsBotulism can be prevented in wounds by promptly seeking medical care for infected wounds and by not using injectable street drugs.
