Children hospitalised after eating Loyd Grossman sauce.bbcnews. Nov. 14, 2011. NHS Forth Valley has confirmed that it is treating the two children who suffered botulism poisoning after eating a Loyd Grossman sauce.The youngsters, who are members of the same family, are said to be in a stable and improving condition in hospital.The Food Standards Agency has warned people not to consume specific jars of the sauce.It is trying to establish if it was an isolated incident. At present, evidence suggests only one jar was contaminated.The affected product is a batch of Loyd Grossman korma sauce in 350g jars, with a best-before date of February 2013.
The FSA has warned people not to eat any jars from this batch of the sauce.
Botulism is rare in the UK. It is caused by toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which attacks the nervous system.
The two children have been treated with antitoxins.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has notified health professionals throughout the UK to be on the lookout for people with possible symptoms.
These can include blurred vision, difficulty swallowing, headaches and muscle weakness.
Dr Kathie Grant, a botulinum toxin expert at the HPA, said: "Cases of botulism are thankfully very rare in the UK, although it can be a very serious infection in those that are affected.
"We urge the public to take heed of this message and ensure that they immediately dispose of this product and to be aware of the signs and symptoms of botulism."
The infection is not passed from person to person. Symptoms can occur between 12 and 36 hours after eating contaminated food.