View the BOTULISM TOOLKIT

About

The Botulism ToolKit.com Mission Statement

To enhance the health care clinician’s ability to recognize and manage botulism patients efficiently and expeditiously and to provide to the health care community (hospital and alternative care facility), a series of patient care templates that will assist in the efficacious triage, treatment, and monitoring of these patients during a mass casualty incident.

Your hosts:
Paul Rega, MD, FACEP
Kelly Burkholder-Allen, RN, MSEd
Churton Budd, RN, EMTP

Recently

Eviscerated Dried Vobla Ain’t! Recall……

Category: Recall Alert |

Link: http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AD/alert.asp?ReleaseID=924

Food Safety Alert

Thursday, September 16, 2010
Contact: Jessica Ziehm
518-457-3136
jessica.ziehm@agmkt.state.ny.us

POSSIBLE BOTULISM CONTAMINATION IN “EVISCERATED DRIED VOBLA”

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today warned consumers not to eat “Eviscerated Dried Vobla” sold by International Food located at 1110 Pennsylvania Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11207, because the product was found to be uneviscerated and has the potential to be contaminated with clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause Botulism. Consumers are warned not to consume the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

The “Eviscerated Dried Vobla” was offered for sale in un-coded vacuum packaged polybags and sold in the New York City metropolitian area.

Uneviscerated processed fish is prohibited under New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ regulations because clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish. Uneviscerated fish has been linked to outbreaks of Botulism, a serious and potentially fatal food-borne illness. Symptoms of Botulism include blurred or double vision, general weakness, poor reflexes, difficulty swallowing and respiratory paralysis.

The “Eviscerated Dried Vobla” was found by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets food inspectors during a routine inspection of the firm. Subsequent analysis by New York State Food Laboratory personnel confirmed the product to be uneviscerated.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the product. Consumers who have this product are advised not to eat it.

Sep

11

The Case of the Suspect Sauerkraut

Category: Current event |

Link: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Exploding+sauerkraut+root+botulism+scare/3510713/story.html

The Vancouver Sun

Exploding can of sauerkraut at root of botulism scare

By Andrea Woo, Vancouver Sun September 11, 2010

“A hazardous materials team was called to a Prince George secondary school Friday after teachers and staff grew concerned that an exploded canister in a food science lab could potentially cause a botulism outbreak……..”

Sep

4

Canada: SHITOR SAUCE Recall

Category: Recall Alert |

Link: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2010/20100903be.shtml

HEALTH HAZARD ALERT

SHITOR SAUCE SOLD AT THE AFRICANA GENERAL

MARKET MAY CONTAIN DANGEROUS BACTERIA

OTTAWA, September 3, 2010 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Africana General Market is warning the public not to consume Shitor sauce because this product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Toxins produced by this bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

Affected product, Shitor sauce, was sold in 500 ml and 250 ml glass jars with no lot numbers or UPC. The Shitor sauce was sold only at the Africana General Market store, Kingsway, British Columbia.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with the toxin may cause nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, headache, double vision, dry throat, respiratory failure and paralysis. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

The manufacturer, Africana General Market, Kingsway, British Columbia, is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:

Africana General Market 604-434-4555; or

CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Clostridium botulinum, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/botulisme.shtml

For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA’s Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.

To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.

– 30 –

Media enquiries:

CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600

Sep

1

Botox Maker Settles for 600 Big Ones…really big ones…

Category: Botox |

Source: NYT, 9/1/10 (http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/botox-maker-settles-case-for-600-million/?partner=rss&emc=rss)

September 1, 2010, 12:28 pm

Botox Maker Settles Case for $600 Million

By NATASHA SINGER

“The specialty pharmaceutical company Allergan has agreed to pay $600 million to settle civil and criminal accusations that it illegally marketed Botox, the drug used in antiwrinkle injections, for medical uses for which the drug had not been approved.

In the settlement with the Justice Department, the company agreed to plead guilty to one misdemeanor charge and pay $375 million to the government for misbranding — making statements about a drug for a use not approved in the product label by the Food and Drug Administration……”