Potato Soup Left Unrefrigerated Can Cause Botulism
Two people, one from Ohio and the other from Georgia, picked up plastic containers of potato soup found in the refrigerated section of two different grocery stores, purchased them, kept the soup unrefrigerated for days (42 days and 18 days), ate the soup and got botulism, according to the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. One of them ate the soup from "a bulging plastic container." Here is an excerpt from the MMWR report:
On January 28, 2011, an Ohio resident, aged 29 years, was hospitalized after 5 days of progressive dizziness, blurred vision, dysphagia, and difficulty breathing. The patient required mechanical ventilation and botulism antitoxin. On January 18, he had tasted potato soup from a bulging plastic container, noted a bad taste, and discarded the remainder. The soup had been purchased on December 7, 2010, from the refrigerated section of a local grocer, but it had been kept unrefrigerated for 42 days. He was hospitalized for 57 days and then was transferred with residual weakness to a rehabilitation facility.
On April 8, 2011, a Georgia resident, aged 41 years, was hospitalized after 4 days of progressive dizziness and dysphagia. The patient developed respiratory distress, required mechanical ventilation, and was treated with botulism antitoxin. On April 3, she had tasted potato soup purchased from a local grocer, noted a sour taste, and discarded the remainder. The soup, stored in a plastic container labeled "keep refrigerated" in letters 1/8 inch tall, had been purchased on March 16, but had been left unrefrigerated for 18 days. She was hospitalized for 16 days and then was transferred with residual weakness to a rehabilitation facility.
(Notes from the Field: Botulism Caused by Consumption of Commercially Produced Potato Soups Stored Improperly --- Ohio and Georgia, 2011)
Potatoes are particularly vulnerable to contamination with Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which is found in soil. C. botulinum produce potent neurotoxin (nerve toxins), a very small amount (a few nanograms) of which can cause botulism.
