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Episode Transcription
Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute, this is Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension.
Did you know last year, health departments reported 162 cases of infant botulism as opposed to 17 cases of foodborne botulism in children and adults? Consumption of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum or its’ spores do not cause illness in children and adults. However, that isn’t the case for infants.
Infant botulism is caused from eating honey with Clostridium botulinum spores. The average age of infant botulism is 4 months. The spores enter their GI tracts and produce toxin leading to serious illness, even death. Current recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture recommend waiting to introduce honey until 12 months of age. Read more about infant botulism at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute.
Resources
Bad Bug Book. Food and Drug Administration. 2/1/22. Accessed online 5-19-22.
Botulism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated 8-19-19. Accessed online 5-19-22.