SAEDNEWS: The head of Tehran University of Medical Sciences’ South Tehran Health Center has issued a warning about the risk of botulism in canned foods and ready-made pasta sauces, advising families to always boil canned protein-based products before eating.
Here is the English translation of the news report:
According to SAEDNEWS: quoting IRNA, Mohammad Reza Salmani Nedoushan warned that the toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum (the cause of botulism) may be present in some canned foods, including ready-made pasta sauces and protein-rich canned products such as tuna and beans.
He added that this toxin is destroyed by boiling for 20 minutes; however, many consumers mistakenly believe that brief heating or sautéing is enough to eliminate it.
The Danger of Deadly Botulism Poisoning
Salmani Nedoushan continued that botulinum toxin is one of the deadliest known toxins, and even consuming as little as 2 micrograms can cause severe poisoning or death.
According to him, the toxin causes paralysis of muscles—especially the respiratory muscles—leading to breathing difficulties and, in severe cases, death.
Main Sources of Botulism Toxin
The head of the South Tehran Health Center at Tehran University of Medical Sciences emphasized the main sources of botulism toxin as protein-based canned foods such as tuna, beans, and meat products, as well as ready-made pasta sauces that come with canned sauces.
Regarding prevention measures, he stated that the only reliable way to destroy the toxin is to boil the entire can in water for 20 minutes, ensuring that the water completely covers the can’s surface. Also, any leftovers from opened cans should be stored in sealed glass containers in the refrigerator and consumed as soon as possible.
Advice to Consumers
Salmani urged families to avoid consuming swollen, rusty, or leaking cans and never to consume ready-made pasta sauces or canned sauces without adequate boiling.
He noted that pasta itself is not dangerous, but the sauces and protein-containing ingredients served with it may contain botulism toxin.
He highlighted the difference between this type of poisoning and other foodborne illnesses: unlike botulinum toxin, poisoning from Bacillus cereus (often found in leftover rice) usually causes gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and is not fatal. By following these guidelines, families can protect themselves from the danger of poisoning by this deadly toxin.
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