What foods most commonly carry botulism?

Botulism most commonly comes from improperly home-canned low-acid foods (like vegetables, meats, and fish), but also from garlic in oil, baked potatoes wrapped in foil, fermented/smoked fish, and for infants, honey, as the bacteria thrive in low-oxygen environments and produce a deadly toxin. Other sources include unrefrigerated homemade salsa, dips, and some commercial products with mishandling.

What foods are high risk for botulism?

Botulism risk foods are primarily low-acid, home-canned, preserved, or fermented items like vegetables (beans, beets, corn, potatoes), garlic in oil, and fish, as well as unrefrigerated salsa or cheese sauce, and baked potatoes in foil. Honey is a key risk for infants under one year, while traditional fermented fish/marine mammals pose risks for adults in certain regions. The danger comes from the toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum spores in oxygen-free environments, so proper canning, refrigeration, and avoiding unsafe practices are crucial.
 

What is the most likely source of botulism?

The most common cause of botulism is eating improperly processed home-canned foods, especially low-acid vegetables like green beans, beets, and mushrooms, where the bacteria produce toxins in low-oxygen, unrefrigerated conditions. Other causes include infant botulism from consuming spores (like honey or dust), wound botulism from infected wounds (often injection drug use), and rarely, contaminated store-bought foods or excessive toxin injections for medical/cosmetic reasons.
 

What are the first signs of botulism?

The first signs of botulism typically involve facial muscle weakness, leading to blurred/double vision, drooping eyelids, and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or speaking (dysarthria), often accompanied by a dry mouth. These neurological symptoms usually appear 12-36 hours after consuming contaminated food and can progress to full-body paralysis, requiring immediate medical attention as it's a severe, potentially fatal condition.
 

Can botulism cause hives?

There can be side effects from botulism antitoxin. Side effects may include: headache • fever • chills • feeling itchy • hives • rash • general swelling • feeling sick to your stomach (nausea) At least 1 out of 100 people who got botulism antitoxin reported 1 or more of these side effects.

Infectious Diseases A-Z: Foodborne botulism basics

What are the odds of getting botulism?

Illness from botulism is rare. Certain activities, however, may increase your chances of becoming ill. People who drink homemade alcohol or eat improperly home-canned, preserved, or fermented foods (for example pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi) are at increased risk of developing foodborne botulism.

What are the 4 D's of botulism?

Botulism symptoms may include the "4 Ds" – dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), diplopia (double vision), dry mouth, and dysarthria (difficulty articulating or hoarseness) as well as blurred vision and ptosis (drooping eyelids). A descending, symmetrical (rarely asymmetric) flaccid paralysis starts with facial muscles.

How long does it take to tell if you have botulism?

Botulism symptoms vary by type, but for foodborne botulism, they usually start 12-36 hours after eating contaminated food, though it can range from 6 hours to 2 weeks; symptoms appear in wound botulism about 4-14 days later; and for infant botulism, it's 3 to 30 days after exposure. Early symptoms often involve vision problems, difficulty swallowing, and facial weakness, progressing to paralysis, requiring immediate medical attention.
 

What kills botulism?

To kill botulism, boil low-acid home-canned foods for 10 minutes (adding a minute per 1,000 feet elevation) to destroy the heat-resistant toxin, use a pressure canner for spores during preservation, and thoroughly clean wounds; remember freezing doesn't kill the toxin, and always discard bulging cans or food with off-smells/tastes. 

What happens if I eat something with botulism?

Eating something with botulism (the toxin from Clostridium botulinum bacteria) causes a serious illness by paralyzing muscles, leading to symptoms like blurred vision, difficulty swallowing/speaking, dry mouth, drooping eyelids, and muscle weakness, which can progress to respiratory failure and death if untreated. Symptoms typically start 12-36 hours after exposure and require immediate medical treatment, often involving antitoxin and supportive care like mechanical ventilation. 

What is the deadliest bacterial toxin?

The poison – known as botulinum toxin – is produced by a kind of bacteria. Botulinum toxin is the strongest poison known to science. Botulism is always considered a medical emergency. It can cause death by paralyzing the muscles people use to breathe.

Can you smell botulism?

No, you generally cannot smell, see, or taste the botulism toxin, which is why it's so dangerous; food can look and smell perfectly normal even when contaminated, though some bacterial growth might cause bulging cans or bad odors, but you should never rely on smell or taste to check for safety. The safest method is to boil home-canned foods for 10 minutes (or longer at higher altitudes) before eating, and always discard any cans that are bulging, leaking, or spurt liquid when opened, as these are signs of spoilage, notes CDC and USDA https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Do-foods-containing-botulism-have-a-bad-odor-or-taste,. 

What is the number one cause of botulism?

The most common cause of botulism is eating improperly processed home-canned foods, especially low-acid vegetables like green beans, beets, and mushrooms, where the bacteria produce toxins in low-oxygen, unrefrigerated conditions. Other causes include infant botulism from consuming spores (like honey or dust), wound botulism from infected wounds (often injection drug use), and rarely, contaminated store-bought foods or excessive toxin injections for medical/cosmetic reasons.
 

How to avoid botulism in food?

To prevent foodborne botulism, properly can low-acid foods using pressure canners and tested recipes, heat home-canned foods for 10-20 minutes before eating, refrigerate leftovers promptly, avoid tasting food from bulging/leaking cans, and never give honey to infants under one year old. Safe handling of homemade oils, herbs, and baked potatoes is also crucial. 

How common is botulism in potatoes?

Botulism from potatoes is uncommon overall but a known risk when they are improperly stored after cooking, especially when wrapped in foil and left at room temperature, creating an oxygen-free environment for Clostridium botulinum spores to grow and produce toxin. While foodborne botulism is rare in the U.S., potatoes are a common culprit in outbreaks, often linked to home-canned or foil-wrapped baked potatoes held too long.
 

What are the first signs of botulism poisoning?

Early signs of botulism, a serious illness causing muscle weakness, often start with facial issues like droopy eyelids, blurred or double vision, dry mouth, and trouble swallowing/speaking, progressing to paralysis and breathing problems if untreated. In infants, it presents as a weak cry, poor feeding, constipation, and floppiness. Seek immediate medical care if botulism is suspected, as it's a medical emergency.
 

Can botulism be cooked out of canned food?

Yes, boiling home-canned low-acid foods for 10 minutes kills the botulism toxin, though the tough spores require higher temperatures (240-250°F) found only in pressure canners to be destroyed during canning. Always boil home-canned vegetables, meats, and fish for 10 minutes (plus extra time for altitude) before eating, discard bulging cans, and never taste suspect food. 

Does vinegar stop botulism?

Yes, vinegar helps prevent botulism by creating a high-acid environment (pH 4.6 or below) that inhibits the growth of Clostridium botulinum spores, which cannot produce their deadly toxin in such conditions; however, for safe home canning, you must use tested recipes with specific amounts of vinegar or other acid (like lemon juice) and process correctly (boiling water bath or pressure canning) to ensure safety, especially with low-acid foods.
 

How do I test if I have botulism?

Testing for botulism involves laboratory confirmation by detecting the toxin or bacteria in clinical samples (blood, stool, wound) or suspected food, though doctors often suspect it based on classic symptoms like descending paralysis, requiring tests (EMG, brain scans) to rule out conditions like stroke or Guillain-Barré syndrome. Confirming tests look for the neurotoxin or Clostridium bacteria in specimens like blood, stool, or gastric fluid, with public health labs handling complex analyses. 

How likely is it that I have botulism?

The risk of botulism is generally very low for most people, as it's a rare illness, but it's a serious medical emergency, with higher risks for specific groups like infants (from honey), people injecting illicit drugs (wound botulism), or those consuming improperly home-canned/preserved foods. While uncommon, with only a few hundred cases yearly in the U.S., prompt treatment is critical because the toxin causes paralysis, and the mortality rate is high if untreated (5-10%).
 

Does salt prevent botulism?

Yes, salt helps prevent botulism by inhibiting the growth of Clostridium botulinum spores, but it needs to be at high concentrations (around 5% or more) to be effective, often combined with low temperatures, low acidity (pH < 4.6), or low water activity. While salt is a natural preservative, it's not a foolproof solution on its own, especially in lower concentrations found in some smoked fish or in improperly canned low-acid foods, where other factors like warmth and lack of oxygen create ideal conditions for the toxin to form.
 

What are two foods associated with botulism?

The typical source of foodborne botulism is homemade food that is improperly canned or preserved. These foods are typically fruits, vegetables, and fish. Other foods, such as spicy peppers (chiles), foil-wrapped baked potatoes and oil infused with garlic, may also be sources of botulism.

What is the most common case of botulism?

Infant botulism (also referred to as floppy baby syndrome) was first recognized in 1976, and is the most common form of botulism in the United States. Infants are susceptible to infant botulism in the first year of life, with more than 90% of cases occurring in infants younger than six months.

Has anyone survived botulinum toxin?

Col. Edwin Kolen crossed paths with Maj. Joseph Marcus, who spoke of his colleague Hartvickson, a botulism toxin survivor.