Authorities in Italy have issued a nationwide recall of broccoli after a man died and nine others were hospitalised in a suspected botulism outbreak linked to a street food vendor. The victim, 52-year-old artist and musician Luigi Di Sarno, is believed to have eaten a contaminated broccoli and sausage sandwich while travelling home from holiday with his family.
Who was the victim?
Luigi Di Sarno, 52, was an artist and musician from Cercola in the province of Naples. He had been returning from a family holiday in Calabria when the tragedy occurred, according to a report in London Evening Standard.
How and when did the death occur?
On Thursday, Di Sarno stopped with his family at a food truck on the seafront in Diamante, Cosenza province, where they ordered broccoli and sausage sandwiches. Shortly after resuming their journey, while driving on the highway near Lagonegro in Potenza, he suddenly fell ill and was forced to pull over in the town of Basilicata. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but Di Sarno died before reaching hospital.
Who else fell ill?
Nine other people, including members of Di Sarno’s family, two teenagers and two women in their 40s, were hospitalised after eating from the same vendor. All were taken to the intensive care unit at Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza, with two patients reported to be in a serious condition.
Is this part of a wider outbreak?
{{/usCountry}}Nine other people, including members of Di Sarno’s family, two teenagers and two women in their 40s, were hospitalised after eating from the same vendor. All were taken to the intensive care unit at Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza, with two patients reported to be in a serious condition.
Is this part of a wider outbreak?
{{/usCountry}}Most likely. The incident comes just weeks after eight people were hospitalised in Sardinia following botulism cases linked to guacamole served at a Mexican food stand during the Fiesta Latin festival in Monserrato between 22 and 25 July. A 38-year-old woman died after eating tacos with guacamole at a Cagliari festival, and an 11-year-old boy was flown to Rome for treatment, according to The Mirror.
What is botulism?
Botulism is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can develop in improperly processed foods. It attacks the nervous system, causing breathing difficulties, muscle paralysis, and can be fatal in around 10 per cent of cases.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Foodborne botulism can happen by eating foods that have been contaminated with botulinum toxin. Common sources… are homemade foods that have been improperly canned, preserved or fermented. Though uncommon, store-bought foods also can be contaminated with botulinum toxin.”