French health authorities have confirmed two cases of botulism after consuming a product produced in Spain.
The results of the investigation by the Directorate General of Food (DGAL) were transferred to the Spanish authorities. Both patients live in Brittany and ate tortillas produced in Spain in a factory owned by the Palacios group. The used batch expired on September 13th. The flatbread is also known as a Spanish omelette and includes potatoes, onions and an egg.
This is the second time in recent years that the company's products have been linked to cases of botulism.
Let us remind you that in France
Several products manufactured by Palacios and sold in supermarkets across France were ordered to be seized and recalled.
Products called Tortilla aux onion 500 grams were sold in Intermarche and Netto stores under the brand Itineraire de nos Flavors. Carrefour stores sold fresh onion flatbread and 500g fresh plain flatbread.
Tests carried out by the National Reference Center for Botulism of the Pasteur Institute confirmed the presence of Clostridium botulinum in the remains of a product consumed by one of the patients.
The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) said that the French authorities, through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), informed it of two cases of botulism associated with the consumption of food products under the Itinéraire des Saveurs brand.
AESAN shared all information related to this case with local authorities through the Coordinated System for the Exchange of Rapid Information (SCIRI). There is no evidence yet that the affected batch was sold in Spain.
Previous incident
In 2023, 12 cases of botulism were reported. The patients' ages ranged from 23 to 77 years, and seven were men. Two cases each were reported in Italy and Norway in people who had traveled to Spain. Seven people were hospitalized, four were placed in the intensive care unit. Hospital stay ranged from 11 to 69 days. There was a proposal that consumers did not follow handling and storage recommendations correctly..
In July 2023, Grupo Empresarial Palacios Alimentación announced a recall of the affected products and a temporary suspension of production. Operations resumed in August. The presence of Clostridium botulinum or any toxins was not detected in the samples taken. However, the foods consumed by the patients were not available for analysis.
Botulinum poisoning is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. With foodborne botulism, symptoms usually appear 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food. However, they can occur either after six hours or after 10 days. It can cause sudden death due to its ability to paralyze the muscles used for breathing.
People who have consumed these products are advised to be extremely vigilant and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as vision problems, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, difficulty speaking, or difficulty breathing. Consumers who have any leftover food are asked not to eat or open it but to throw it away.
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