Botulism in tins of Tapenade

[NormanH]

8 people are ill from eating

"une conserve de tapenade d'olives vertes aux amandes produite par

l'établissement «La ruche» de Cavaillon, dans le Vaucluse, et vendue

sous la marque «les délices de Marie-Claire»."

http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2011/09/06/01016-20110906ARTFIG00367-intoxication-alimentaire-trois-nouveaux-cas-dans-la-somme.php

[5-element]

When I read about the first people intoxicated (the Avignon family), they weren't sure whether it was from the tapenade, or the dried tomatoes.

Better make one's own.[:'(]

[idun]

I used to buy this sort of thing regularly when in France. I cannot remember seeing botulism mentioned before, isn't it very rare and very bad?

[5-element]

It is quite rare, and it is very bad. In this particular case,  the sterilising procedures were at fault (no real autoclave, as required for commercially sold preserves). Botulism can occur with faulty home-preserving too!

The three young women who were contaminated in Northern France are in intensive care, sedated for at least three weeks.

And now, the alert is being extended to a whole range of products, which have been sold everywhere in Europe. Now it is not just tapenade which is implicated. "La Ruche", "Les Delices de Marie-Claire" , "Terre de Mistral" and "Les Secrets d'Anais" products.

These include "la tapenade d'olives vertes aux amandes, la tartinade de tomates séchées et tous les produits de la marque Terre de Mistral, l’alerte concerne aussi désormais des anchoïades, des thoïonades, du caviar d'aubergine, du pesto sauce pistou, de la poivronnade, de la poichichade et de l'artichonade"

http://www.francesoir.fr/actualite/sante/botulisme-liste-des-produits-suspectes-s-etend-135060.html

[idun]

I am always very cautious about home preserving  things and usually don't.

I have been given all sorts of things by friends in France, including jam with a wonderful coat of mould on it which they told me to skim off and use the rest. Helas I am never sure if just the top is mouldy and bad or it is right through, la poubelle is always the safest bet for me when this happens. Why should I risk it? Never feels like I should.