Italy Faces Ongoing Botulism Concerns Due to Traditional Food Preservation methods
ROME – Italy continues to grapple with a notable incidence of botulism, largely attributed to deeply ingrained traditional food preservation practices. Between 2001 and 2024, the National Botulism surveillance system recorded 1,276 suspected clinical cases, with laboratory confirmation in 574 instances.The vast majority – 526 cases, or 91.6% – were identified as food botulism [[3]].
This translates to an average of 53 reported cases and 24 laboratory-confirmed cases annually. While the fatality rate has decreased slightly – from 3.8% in 2001-2011 to 2.6% in 2012-2024 – a total of 15 deaths were recorded during the 24-year period.
Rooted in Tradition, Risk in the South
Fabrizio Anniballi, head of the botulinum reference center at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), emphasizes that the high incidence is linked to Italy’s “rooted tradition of conservative” food preservation, particularly in the southern regions, where it remains a meaningful public health concern. These traditional methods, while historically vital for domestic food conservation, can unluckily create conditions conducive to the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria responsible for botulism [[3]].
The ISS reports that most botulism cases are linked to improperly prepared home-produced preserves, with industrial food sources being rarely implicated. Improved diagnostic capabilities are also contributing to a slight increase in reported cases in recent years.
