Oviedo (EFE)
In statements to journalists, Altolaguierre pointed out that, although serious, it is a very rare disease generally associated with poorly processed home preserves and in some cases with sausages, but “never” with packaged tortillas, so that the case that has supposedly caused an outbreak in several provinces would be “very unusual.”
As pointed out by the head of the Epidemiological Surveillance Section of the General Directorate of Public Health, Ana Fernández Ibáñez, the confirmed case in Asturias is that of a 53-year-old man who “is progressing favourably.”
The patient has been admitted to the hospital since July 4, although the confirmation of botulism did not occur until last Monday.
Botulism is a serious, although very rare, disease that is generally transmitted by products contaminated by a toxin that affects the nervous system.
The symptoms
The most frequent symptoms, which usually appear after 24 or 36 hours, are nausea and vomiting that are usually accompanied by muscle weakness, and can also include blurred vision and even certain paralysis, the head of the Epidemiological Surveillance Section has detailed.
The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan) has asked the autonomous communities to verify the withdrawal of products affected by an outbreak of botulism from marketing channels, after the Palacios Group has decided to withdraw them from the points of sale.
The Aesan has updated the information on the outbreak, recalling the statement issued last night by the Palacios Group in which it reports on the voluntary withdrawal, as a precaution, from the shelves of the points of sale of the fresh packaged potato tortilla on the plate produced in the Mudrian (Segovia) factory, and the temporary stoppage of its manufacture.
Although up to now it has not been possible to establish evidence, neither in the products nor in the processes, that relates cause and effect, the Palacios Group has asked all people who have purchased any of these products (Palacios, Chef Select, Auchan, Eroski, Unide, Consum, DIA, Ametller, Condis, El Corte Inglés, Carrefour, Alipende, Grupo IFA and Rikissimo) to refrain from consuming it and to proceed to its return at the point for sale.
The outbreak of botulism associated with packaged potato tortillas has so far left seven cases, of which five -two citizens of Italy who consumed this product in Valladolid, one in Asturias, another in Galicia and a fifth in Madrid- have been confirmed and two -in Andalusia and the Valencian Community- have a compatible clinical situation.
Recommendations with the pre-cooked
Despite the fact that it is a “very unusual” case of a “very rare” disease, Altolaguirre has stressed the need to respect the conditions of conservation and consumption of pre-cooked dishes to “minimize risks”, since the toxin that causes botulism is sensitive to temperature.
In the case of packaged tortillas, he pointed out, it is recommended to keep them below five degrees and heat them in the microwave at maximum for three minutes before consuming. EFE