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Nov 28, 2025 - Foods
Preventing Botulism: Identify Risks and Act Safely
Botulism is a very rare but potentially life-threatening illness caused by botulinum neurotoxins. These toxins are produced under certain conditions in food when Clostridium botulinum can multiply in an oxygen-poor environment. Typical symptoms include visual disturbances, dry mouth, swallowing and speech disorders, up to severe paralysis.
In Germany, fewer than ten cases are reported annually. The main cause is contaminated food, especially home-made or inadequately heated preserves. Foods with low acidity (pH > 4.6), such as meat, vegetables, or fish, are particularly susceptible, as C. botulinum can thrive there. Additionally, it is problematic that toxins cannot be reliably detected by appearance, smell, or taste.
Other risk products include home-prepared preserved vegetables in oil and herb oils, salted and dried fish, as well as honey for infants. Industrially produced preserves are considered safe because they are adequately heated to 121 °C for several minutes.
Warning signs for spoiled preserves include swollen cans or lids (“bulges”). Such products should not be opened, but disposed of directly. To be on the safe side, home-canned foods should be completely reheated to at least 100 °C before consumption, as the toxins, unlike the spores, are heat-sensitive. The risk can be significantly reduced by hygienic handling, proper heating, correct storage, and quick consumption of homemade products. Honey should not be given to children under one year of age. With a few simple precautions, the risk of botulism can be reliably minimized and the safety of homemade foods significantly increased.
The BAV Institute reliably supports you in all matters of microbiological safety and quality control – feel free to contact us!
Source: https://www.bfr.bund.de/fragen-und-antworten/thema/selten-aber-vermeidbar-fragen-und-antworten-zum-botulismus/