Several halal charcuterie products recalled for botulism risks

Poultry sausages, mortadella and mousses are suspected of containing the bacteria “Clostridium botulinum”, the agent responsible for botulism, a rare but potentially fatal disease.

Be careful if you have recently purchased halal cold meats in a supermarket. Nearly ten references of this type of food product are the subject of a recall campaign, reports the government site Rappel Conso. The cause is a risk of the presence in these products of the bacteria “Clostridium botulinum”, the agent responsible for botulism.

A risk that should not be taken lightly. Botulism being “a rare disease but which can prove fatal in less than 5% of cases in France», specifies ANSES (National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety) on its website. “Botulinum poisoning is characterized by neurological signs: feeling of blurred vision, drooping eyelids, speech problems, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, muscle weakness», specifies the Rappel Conso website, emphasizing that “digestive signs (constipation, vomiting, diarrhea) often accompany neurological signs“. The government platform adds that “These symptoms usually appear 12 to 72 hours after ingesting contaminated food, but they can develop earlier or later (2 hours up to 10 days)“.