BOTULISM – A DANGEROUS DISEASE HOMEMAKERS PREPARING POISON FOR THEIR FAMILY

Аннотация

It is well known that during the summer season, homemakers commonly prepare vegetable preserves. However, we must ask: are these preserves truly safe for consumption? The answer is no, because the dangerous disease called “botulism” often originates from such homemade preserves. Keywords: Botulism, food poisoning, preserves, spores Relevance Botulism is one of the most severe forms of food poisoning, often resulting in death. [1] Botulism bacteria are widespread in nature — found in soil, water, and in the intestines of animals and fish. These bacteria can exist as spores in soil for many years. [2,3] Spores are harmless in open air but contaminate food products like vegetables and mushrooms via soil. In airtight environments like homemade preserves, these spores release a potent toxin.[4] These preserves, though appearing unchanged in color and taste, become deadly. Once ingested, the toxin is absorbed in the intestines without being broken down by stomach acid and damages the central nervous system and brain. Symptoms may take several hours or even a full day to appear and include general weakness, headaches, and nausea.[5,6,7,8] The pupils dilate, vision doubles, and eventually, the soft palate and throat muscles become paralyzed. Chewing and swallowing food becomes difficult.[9] The illness may last 2-3 weeks in mild cases or 2-3 months in severe ones. Without timely medical help, botulism has a fatality rate of 60-70%. Recovery does not produce lasting immunity, so reinfection is possible.[10,11,12,13] Therefore, we strongly advise homemakers not to prepare canned foods at home. Domestic environments cannot achieve the high temperatures or the required two-atmosphere pressure levels that are necessary for proper sterilization. Such conditions are available only in factories, so it is safer toconsume factory-made preserves.[14,15,16,17] Botulism is caused by a spore-forming microbe that multiplies in oxygen-free environments. [18] The disease mainly occurs due to the consumption of homemade preserves prepared in violation of hygiene and sanitation norms. Sealed jars create an airless space ideal for microbial spore growth.[19,20] Scientific research shows that the botulinum toxin is 375,000 times more potent than the venom of themost poisonoussnake.[21,22] In 2008, one case of botulism was recorded in our region, affecting four individuals. This year, food poisoning cases are expected to rise sharply, as many households have prepared large quantities ofcanned foods using local agricultural produce.[23,24,25] Early Symptoms ofBotulism: •Fatigue •Blurred visionand headaches •Dry mouthand thirst •Nausea and occasional vomiting •Double visionanddrooping eyelids •Difficulty swallowing and speaking •Tongue feels enlarged •Liquids comeout through thenose •Excessivesalivaproduction •Shallowbreathing •Muscle weakness inlegs, neck, and even theheart worldlyjournals.com ILMIY TADQIQOTLAR VA ULARNING YECHIMLARI JURNALI JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND THEIR SOLUTIONS VOLUME 5, ISSUE 02, IYUN 2025 WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE NASHRIYOTI Failureto provide timelymedical intervention can result in severe complications. How toPrevent Such Incidents? Be vigilant! Do not consume canned foods with altered colors or bulging (bombaged) lids. Any change in taste isared flag andsuch products mustnot beconsumed.[26,27,28] Can Botulism Be Prevented? Yes. Avoid preparing canned vegetables at home. When purchasing food from stores, verify the presence of hygiene and compliance certificates, check expiration dates, and ensure proper storage conditions are maintained.[29,30] To prevent botulism, avoid buying and consuming various types of homemade preserves sold in markets.[31,32] If you notice signs like fatigue, difficulty speaking, vision problems, breathing difficulty, movement impairment, or cardiovascular irregularities — seek medical help immediately. While awaiting the doctor, give the patient plenty of fluids and, if possible, perform stomach lavage — this canbe life-saving. In conclusion, never forget: Botulism is adeadly disease