Originally published on July 23, 2013
Dozens of people have been hospitalized in Italy after eating pesto contaminated with the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The Botulinum toxin develops from the Clostridium botulinum microorganism, which can be found in soil and in the air and is harmless when in contact with oxygen.
In the absence of oxygen, such as in jarred food, and when temperatures are higher than 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, the microorganism becomes a threat to human life. If the bacteria is ingested it produces a toxin that attacks the nervous system, which can cause symptoms including stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, high fevers, and in extreme cases psychosis and even death.
Bruzzone e Ferrari, the company that produced the contaminated pesto, alerted health authorities, and the contaminated jars were pulled from supermarket shelves, but some people had already been exposed. The bacteria can be killed by cooking contaminated food for two hours at 105 degrees Celsius or for a short time with a pressure cooker.
According to reports, since Friday more than 50 people who had eaten the contaminated pesto have sought help at local hospitals.
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