Fundamental Food Microbiology, Third Edition - Fuad Fathir

FOODBORNE INTOXICATIONS 353
I. Analysis of a Foodborne Botulism Case
On May 4, 1992, in New Jersey, a man of Egyptian origin developed dizziness,
facial drooping, dry mouth, weakness, and respiratory difficulties. Within 2 days,
two more family members developed similar symptoms. The cases were diagnosed
as botulism and treated with trivalent (A, B, E) botulinal antitoxins. The source of
the toxin was traced to an ethnic fish preparation made with uneviscerated, saltcured
fish. The previous day, the family had obtained the product from outside and
consumed it without cooking.
The sequence of events was most probably as follows. The fish had Clo. botulinum
spores (probably Type E) in the gut from the water and water sediment. The
uneviscerated fish were cured in salt, the concentration of which was not high enough
to prevent germination, cell growth, and toxin production. Without cooking, the
product was consumed, probably in different amounts, by the family members, who
developed symptoms at different times. The outbreak could have been avoided by
removing the viscera, curing the fish in recommended salt concentrations, and
heating before eating. 14
A. Importance
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IV. MYCOTOXICOSIS
Many strains of molds, while growing in a suitable environment (including in
foods), produce metabolites that are toxic to humans, animals, and birds, and are
grouped as mycotoxins. 15,16 Consumption of foods containing mycotoxins causes
mycotoxicosis. They are secondary metabolites and not proteins or enteric toxins.
Many are carcinogens and, when consumed, can cause cancer in different tissues
in the body. Some cause toxicity of organs by unknown mechanisms. Incidents
of mycotoxicosis in humans have not been recorded in recent years in many
countries, at least in the developed ones. This is because their presence in many
foods is critically regulated and evaluated. Incidents of mycotoxicosis have been
recorded in some developing countries in recent years. Some well-known mycotoxicosis
incidents in humans in the past are ergotism from consumption of
bread made from rye infected with Claviceps purpurea in Europe between the
14th and 16th centuries, yellow rice disease from the consumption of rice infested
with toxigenic strains of several Penicillium species in Japan during the 17th
century, and alimentary toxic aleukia from the ingestion of grains infested with
toxigenic strains of Fusarium species in Russia in the early 20th century. In recent
years, several incidents were reported in animals and birds, which include the
death of thousands of turkeys from liver necrosis in the 1960s in England following
feeding peanut meal in which Aspergillus flavus grew and produced the
toxin aflatoxin.