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What is it?
- Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) is a type of bacteria found in soil, water, on plants and in the gut of animals
- It can form spores and toxins that are not destroyed by cooking or boiling
What's the risk?
- C. botulinum can cause a serious illness called botulism (caused by eating the bacteria's toxin) and infant botulism (generally in children, caused by eating the bacteria's spores)
- Anyone can get botulism although it is extremely rare in Australia. Generally only infants under 12 months old get infant botulism
- If not treated early, botulism can lead to paralysis and death
- Foods at higher risk of contamination include home-canned and bottled foods and vacuum-packed foods that have not been processed properly; fermented, salted and smoked meat and seafood, and honey.
Symptoms of botulism
- Symptoms usually start 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food
- Common symptoms of foodborne botulism are vertigo, nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, double vision and trouble speaking and swallowing. Symptoms may progress to muscle weakness and constipation
- Common symptoms of infant botulism are constipation, loss of appetite, weak sucking and crying, and muscle weakness including poor head control
- The illness can last for weeks or months
Reduce your risk
- Take extra care when preparing bottled foods, vacuum-packed food (including sous vide cooking) and fermented, smoked or salted meat and fish products that wont be thoroughly cooked before eating
- Use new jars and bottles that have been sterilised
- Throw away preserved or vacuum-packed food that is badly damaged, bulging or looks spoiled
- Avoid giving honey to infants under 12 months old
- Wash your hands with soap and dry them before preparing and eating food
- Keep your kitchen and equipment clean
- Refrigerate or freeze cooked food as soon as it has stopped steaming
Page last updated: 13 March 2025