A lady has d!ed after eating a “toxic” sandwich, making her the second person to do so.
Authorities are now trying to recall some vegetables.
According to the Sun, the sad string of events took place in Calabria, Italy, where two individuals d!ed and more than a dozen others were hospitalized after eating sandwiches that had botulinum in them.
The victims ate at a food truck outside the village of Diamante, where they cooked sandwiches with turnip greens, which are like broccoli.
According to Italian news station ANSA, Tamara D’Acunto, 45, d!ed soon after eating a sausage and turnip top sandwich from the food truck. This was the second de@th linked to the event.
She passed away on August 6, and the next day was her funeral. ITV said that just a few days before, 52-year-old Luigi Di Sarno had the same thing happen to him after eating from the same vendor.
His family, which included two 17-year-olds and two ladies in their 40s, also got sick and had to go to the Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza right away.
Seventeen people have been hospitalized, and fourteen of them are currently getting care. Five of them are in the ICU and are quite sick.
The symptoms pointed to botulism, which is an uncommon but deadly disease caused by toxins made by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria.
Local authorities have requested an investigation into the event, with nine individuals – including the food truck owner and employees – currently under investigation for their participation.
Authorities have taken jars of broccoli in oil, which are thought to have carried the botulinum toxin, and other products that are thought to be responsible for the infected sandwiches.
The Paola Public Prosecutor’s Office has also ordered the seizure of any identical goods, and many of the companies that made the product are being looked at.
A lady has d!ed after eating a “toxic” sandwich, making her the second person to do so. Authorities are now trying to recall some vegetables.
According to the Sun, a series of frightening occurrences happened in Calabria, Italy, where two people sadly d!ed and more than a dozen others were hospitalized after eating sandwiches that had botulinum in them.
Two people have d!ed after eating sandwiches that were tainted (stock photo). Credit: Carlo A / Getty
The victims ate from a food truck close to the village of Diamante. The sandwiches were made with turnip greens, which are like broccoli.
According to Italian news station ANSA, Tamara D’Acunto, 45, d!ed soon after eating a sausage and turnip top sandwich from the food truck. This was the second de@th linked to the event.
She passed away on August 6, and the next day was her funeral. ITV said that Luigi Di Sarno, 52, d!ed the same way just days before, after eating from the same seller.
His family, which included two 17-year-olds and two ladies in their 40s, also got sick and had to go to the Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza right away.
A total of 17 people have been sent to the hospital, and 14 of them are currently getting treatment. Five of them are in the ICU and are quite sick.
The symptoms pointed to botulism, which is an uncommon but deadly disease caused by toxins made by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria.
The local government has launched an investigation into what happened, and nine people, including the owner of the food truck and its employees, are currently under investigation for their actions.
Authorities have taken jars of broccoli in oil, which they think may have carried the botulinum toxin, as part of their investigation into the tainted sandwiches.
The Paola Public Prosecutor’s Office has also ordered the seizure of any identical goods, and other companies that made the product are being looked into.
The botulinum toxin can hurt the nerve system, which can cause paralysis and even de@th in some situations.
It is commonly linked to food that has not been properly prepared, and in this case, the sandwiches probably got botulism because they were not handled or stored correctly.
A representative from the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) said that this is a very rare and dangerous circumstance. They also confirmed that the samples taken from the hospitalized individuals had botulism in them.
We are moving fast to find out where the contamination came from and stop it from happening again.
This tragedy comes on the heels of a similar one in Sardinia just a few weeks ago, when eight people got sick after eating tacos with guacamole that was thought to be contaminated with botulism.
A 38-year-old lady d!ed from the same poison, and an 11-year-old kid was rushed to Rome for treatment after eating the bad dip.
In both cases, the authorities sent in vials of “antitoxin serum” to help the people who were hurt. This is because botulism needs to be treated right away with this serum to stop significant harm or de@th.
The Lombardy Poison Control Center is the only place where you may get the serum. It is only available at certain secure facilities run by Italy’s Ministry of Health.
Botulism is not common, but it can be very dangerous.
The CDC says that botulinum from food often happens when items are canned, stored, or fermented the wrong way.
It’s more likely for homemade foods to have the toxin, although store-bought foods can still have it. Some signs of botulism are trouble breathing, paralysis of the muscles, and de@th in very bad cases.
The local health officials are telling people not to panic, even if these scary things have happened. Authorities have put an emergency plan into action to deal with the botulism cases. While investigations are still going on, their main goal is to stop the spread and keep the people safe.
Both the food truck’s lawyer, Francesco Liserre, and local officials have said that the sandwiches were kept in the fridge and only opened when they were needed.
Liserre went on to say that his client thinks the contamination may have happened before the products were sold.