Portal latinoamericano de toxicología
Tapenade Linked to Eight Botulism Cases in France
8 September, 2011
A total of 8 serious cases of botulism in France have been detected, in the Vaucluse and the Somme, due to the green almond tapenade, manufactured in a traditional manner, the Department of Economics said on Mon 5 Sep 2011. The tapenade of green almonds, was made in Cavaillon by a couple in their 60s in a shop, which was immediately closed. Services have never had the opportunity to inspect the small workshop in which the rules of hygiene were not met. The manufacturers did not have suitable sterilization equipment, said Secretary General of the Prefecture of Vaucluse on Tue 6 Sep 2011. No control system was implemented and the company, which has operated for years, had not been declared to the monitoring services. The couple used a "kind of washing machine," widely used in families.
Tapenade
But it is generally a lack of sterilization of the conserves which is the source of botulism. Botulism is rare, but not exceptional in France where there are about 20 cases each year. Authorities are asking anyone who bought the product not to eat it, and to return it, if possible, to the place of purchase. Health authorities have also asked stores to withdraw, as a precaution, all the conserves produced in this establishment. The consignment consists of about 60 jars of homemade product branded "The delights of Marie-Claire" (Les delices de Marie-Claire) sold in grocery stores in Bouches-du-Rhone, de la Drome, du Var and Vaucluse.
Of the 5 people hospitalized in Avignon, an octogenarian still under very intensive care, as his condition is life-threatening. The 3 young women of Somme, for their part were placed under artificial respirator
at the University Hospital of Amiens, the institution stating that their condition has "stabilized."
—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap alerts
[Intoxication with botulinum toxin was originally described from food in which spores of _Clostridium botulinum_ were able to germinate into vegetative forms which produce one of the serotypes of toxin which in human disease is typically A, B or E. In the USA, most cases are, however, related to infant botulism where the relatively uncolonized intestinal tract allows the organism to produce toxin in vivo. This can rarely occur in adults where it is called adult colonization botulism. Wound botulism can also result in disease related to necrotic wounds or drug ingestions. The toxin can also be aerosolized.
Tapenade is a Provencal dish usually consisting of pureed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil. Its name comes from the provencal word for capers, tapenas. It is a popular food in the
south of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d’oeuvre, spread on bread. A tapenade can contain almonds as seen in this recipe:
but should have as its base ingredient the olive. Because it is not acidic, olives if not prepared properly when canning can be linked to botulism.
The severity of the disease here could certainly suggest that type A botulism is the cause or related to a large ingestion of toxin. -Mod.LL]
Read also: Food Warnings Linked To France’s Botulism Outbreak. By Dan Flynn. foodsafetynews.com. Sep 09, 2011. The United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency Thursday issued a specific warning about artisan foods linked to a potentially deadly botulism outbreak in France.
Residents and visitors to France were warned not to eat what the English call pastes or spreads, and the French call tapenade, from an unlicensed, cottage-food maker called La Ruche based in Cavaillon, France, and branded as:
Les Délices de Marie Claire
Terre de Mistral
Les Secrets d’Anaïs
Botulism is a rare but serious illness that can cause muscle weakness and breathing difficulties that can quickly turn fatal without expert medical treatment.
Eight adults, five from southern France and three from the Somme district in the north of the country, have been stricken by botulism since eating the tapenade, the Food Standards Agency reports. All eight have been hospitalized; three are on life support.
All the products tested positive for botulism. The FSA said anyone who has consumed any of them should seek immediate medical attention.
The tapenade or spreads are made with olives, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, bell-peppers, anchovies, tuna, chickpeas, artichokes and aubergines.
A public health warning issued in France said investigators thought jars used for tapenade (olive paste) had not been properly sterilized and further tests found contamination in other products including dried tomatoes, sandwich spread, pesto and pastes made from anchovies, eggplants, peppers, chickpeas and artichokes.
"Many jars are still in circulation, putting people who might eat them at a severe risk", French public health officials said, adding that the products are sold in popular tourist spots, so there is a risk that people from all over France and from abroad will have bought them.
They have been on sale in shops and markets particularly in the Provence, Cote D’Azur region since May 31 this year with a best before date of 16 December 2012 and lot number 112005.
La Ruche, ("the beehive"), which made the toxin-tainted tapenade, had never registered as required with the Vaucluse Prefecture. The couple who own and operate La Ruche did not carry out appropriate control procedures, did not seek technical assistance, and did not have the proper equipment in place to sterilize their product effectively, according to Mme. Martine Clavel, Secretary General of Vaucluse Prefecture.
Because the company was unknown to prefecture public health authorities, its production facility – in operation since 2000 – was never inspected. Prefecture authorities said even a cursory inspection of La Ruche’s operations would have uncovered egregious food safety errors of omission and commission.
The La Ruche products have been withdrawn from sale in France. They apparently were not sold anywhere in the United Kingdom, but could have been purchased online.
"If you have brought these products back from France or bought them online you should not eat them but should dispose of them immediately," FSA warns. "If you have already eaten any of these products and feel unwell, it’s important that you seek medical attention straight away, and tell your doctor that you’ve eaten food from La Ruche."
In a normal year, France experiences only about 20 cases of botulism.
Of the 5 people hospitalized in Avignon, an octogenarian still under very intensive care, as his condition is life-threatening. The 3 young women of Somme, for their part were placed under artificial respirator
at the University Hospital of Amiens, the institution stating that their condition has "stabilized."
Source: Europel [In French transl. Corr.SB, edited] <http://www.europe1.fr/France/Botulisme-de-la-tapenade-mise-en-cause-703215/>
—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap alerts
[Intoxication with botulinum toxin was originally described from food in which spores of _Clostridium botulinum_ were able to germinate into vegetative forms which produce one of the serotypes of toxin which in human disease is typically A, B or E. In the USA, most cases are, however, related to infant botulism where the relatively uncolonized intestinal tract allows the organism to produce toxin in vivo. This can rarely occur in adults where it is called adult colonization botulism. Wound botulism can also result in disease related to necrotic wounds or drug ingestions. The toxin can also be aerosolized.
Tapenade is a Provencal dish usually consisting of pureed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil. Its name comes from the provencal word for capers, tapenas. It is a popular food in the
south of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d’oeuvre, spread on bread. A tapenade can contain almonds as seen in this recipe:
but should have as its base ingredient the olive. Because it is not acidic, olives if not prepared properly when canning can be linked to botulism.
The severity of the disease here could certainly suggest that type A botulism is the cause or related to a large ingestion of toxin. -Mod.LL]
Read also: Food Warnings Linked To France’s Botulism Outbreak. By Dan Flynn. foodsafetynews.com. Sep 09, 2011. The United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency Thursday issued a specific warning about artisan foods linked to a potentially deadly botulism outbreak in France.
Residents and visitors to France were warned not to eat what the English call pastes or spreads, and the French call tapenade, from an unlicensed, cottage-food maker called La Ruche based in Cavaillon, France, and branded as:
Les Délices de Marie Claire
Terre de Mistral
Les Secrets d’Anaïs
Botulism is a rare but serious illness that can cause muscle weakness and breathing difficulties that can quickly turn fatal without expert medical treatment.
Eight adults, five from southern France and three from the Somme district in the north of the country, have been stricken by botulism since eating the tapenade, the Food Standards Agency reports. All eight have been hospitalized; three are on life support.
All the products tested positive for botulism. The FSA said anyone who has consumed any of them should seek immediate medical attention.
The tapenade or spreads are made with olives, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, bell-peppers, anchovies, tuna, chickpeas, artichokes and aubergines.
A public health warning issued in France said investigators thought jars used for tapenade (olive paste) had not been properly sterilized and further tests found contamination in other products including dried tomatoes, sandwich spread, pesto and pastes made from anchovies, eggplants, peppers, chickpeas and artichokes.
"Many jars are still in circulation, putting people who might eat them at a severe risk", French public health officials said, adding that the products are sold in popular tourist spots, so there is a risk that people from all over France and from abroad will have bought them.
They have been on sale in shops and markets particularly in the Provence, Cote D’Azur region since May 31 this year with a best before date of 16 December 2012 and lot number 112005.
La Ruche, ("the beehive"), which made the toxin-tainted tapenade, had never registered as required with the Vaucluse Prefecture. The couple who own and operate La Ruche did not carry out appropriate control procedures, did not seek technical assistance, and did not have the proper equipment in place to sterilize their product effectively, according to Mme. Martine Clavel, Secretary General of Vaucluse Prefecture.
Because the company was unknown to prefecture public health authorities, its production facility – in operation since 2000 – was never inspected. Prefecture authorities said even a cursory inspection of La Ruche’s operations would have uncovered egregious food safety errors of omission and commission.
The La Ruche products have been withdrawn from sale in France. They apparently were not sold anywhere in the United Kingdom, but could have been purchased online.
"If you have brought these products back from France or bought them online you should not eat them but should dispose of them immediately," FSA warns. "If you have already eaten any of these products and feel unwell, it’s important that you seek medical attention straight away, and tell your doctor that you’ve eaten food from La Ruche."
In a normal year, France experiences only about 20 cases of botulism.