Madrid (EFE)
For now, the supermarket chain Ahorramas has communicated the precautionary withdrawal of potato tortillas with and without onions from its Alipende white brand after several cases of botulism detected by the authorities and which are still being investigated.
The Aesan, dependent on the Ministry of Consumption, has indicated in a statement that four confirmed cases of botulism and two probable cases have been notified to the Public Health Alert System with a common link of consumption in the previous days of packaged potato tortilla purchased in different supermarkets from various autonomous communities.
Sources from Ahorramas have explained to Efeagro this Wednesday that they have applied the principle of prudence and safety, that they are going to keep the warning sign for customers on the shelves of their supermarkets, and have assured that they will not return said products until the end of the investigation by health authorities.
The supermarket chain reported last Friday the withdrawal of the tortillas, without providing the reasons, and asked customers who had bought them to return them to their nearest stores for a refund, upon presentation of the purchase receipt.
The Aesan has stressed that the appropriate food safety investigations are being carried out and that the public health services of the autonomous communities and cities have been informed to reinforce early detection in the event of the appearance of new suspected cases.
According to the agency, the company that makes the tortillas is the same in at least three of the confirmed cases and in one of the probable ones, although to date it has not been possible to establish evidence of a cause-effect relationship either in the products or in the processes.
In any case, the investigations continue with the collaboration of the production company, while the possibility that there is a product on the market that is not safe or that there are deviations in the production, distribution, storage processes is being studied. or transport that justify the existence of this risk, has added the Aesan.
Palacios says that there is no proof that the bacteria is in its products
For its part, the manufacturer of the withdrawn tortillas, Grupo Palacios, has however assured that so far there is no evidence that any of its products are involved in any health alert and has stressed that it has not received any alert notification that relate any of them to any case of food poisoning.
Company sources have explained to Efeagro that they have analyzed, within their self-controls, 87 samples from different batches of potato tortillas for the detection of the bacteria that produces the toxin that causes this serious disease, without finding any pathogenic agent. .
According to Palacios, the investigations carried out by the regional authorities rule out that the production processes carried out in their facilities have nothing to do with the known incidents; In addition, the heat treatments to which this product must be subjected before consumption manage to control this type of incident, the group added.
The Aesan, dependent on the Ministry of Consumption, has reminded consumers of the importance of preserving food products, especially at this time of year due to the heat, at the temperatures indicated on the label.
It has also urged to follow the instructions for use indicated by the manufacturers, since they guarantee the safety of the products for which an expiration date is established.
This is especially important in the case of packaged potato tortillas, since there may be a “false feeling” that they are like preserves, that they have thermal stability, and keeping them without refrigeration at the current room temperature can lead to health problems. .
What is botulism
Botulism is a rare but serious disease caused by a toxin that attacks the nervous system and can cause shortness of breath, muscle paralysis and even death.
Improperly canned, preserved, or fermented foods at home can create the conditions necessary for bacteria to produce the toxin.