So, the NYC dept of Health is investigating some cases of botulism apparently from eating tofu. Botulism is a very dangerous disease caused by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, and is typically associated with contamination of canned foods. These days it is not as common but cases such as this occasionally pop up. The problem is that no one seems to recognize it or consider it in the differential for a patient with weakness. It gets mistaken for Guillian – Barre, Myesthenia, Bell’s Palsy, and other things. Unfortunately, if you miss the boat on this one it can lead to paralysis of the respiratory muscles and respiratory arrest.
Now, I would never have thought that tofu would be a likely source for it but apparently came from unrefrigerated bulk tofu that was bought in the same store in Queens, NY. So, first of all – don’t eat tofu that is not refrigerated (which to me goes without saying but what do I know) and second, if you are a clinician and see someone with facial or upper body weakness, consider botulism before you discharge them with steroids and Valtrex for Bell’s Palsy.
This is why a bacon rich, tofu poor diet is recommended.
And probably don’t give them valacyclovir for Bell’s palsy either since it doesn’t work…
http://www.thennt.com/antivirals-for-bells-palsy/
You can buy shelf’stable Tofu in Tetra PaK packaging, which makes more sense from a botulism risk point of view, since it is a similar process to canning. I am guessing that this is what this tofu was sold in.
Botulism is typically a product of an anaerobic environment. For example home canning gone awry (an acidic environment is a good backup to prevent it). It is also sometimes found when traditional fermented foods are prepared in modern manner, ie left in sealed plastic containers. Unfortunately botulism is fairly common in several traditional foods of Alaska’s native population but I can think of several SE Asian delicacies that could be problematic too.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5032a2.htm
http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/pubs/botulism/bot_05.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2244373
Cal, there’s no reason why bulk tofu, not packaged, could not carry botulism. I once saw people making tofu for local sale and everything was done by hand and in open air (and it was not heated after it was pressed). If the same people are handling raw soybeans (carrying soil, which can have spores) and pressed tofu, it would easily be transmitted.
Bulk tofu is also bought from big pails full of water that people pull blocks from. Yeah. Tasty.
M, you are right. I followed the link and indeed it was bulk tofu from a bin. When I had originally read the post my mind automatically thought canning and tetrapaks, but of course, just regular fermented stuff could also go awry.
Yeah Dr. J.
Botulism is so rare with meatproducts that it is known in many countrys as the ‘meat/sausage-illness’…because of it´s rarity.
Better skip the tofu, and the green beans.
http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/safe-survival-canning/