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# Basics about Botulism
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/botulism_0501110827/
- Published: 2011-05-01T09:27:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:14:44.000Z
- Description: A fact sheet on botulism: in infants it traces to honey and home-canned foods, with symptoms in 3 to 30 days; in children and adults to improperly canned foods, herb oils or foil-baked potatoes, bringing double vision, slurred speech and weakness in 12 to 72 hours. It is an emergency.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Biological, Food Safety, #vivvo-import

Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a bacterium which occurs in soil. It produces a toxin that affects your nerves. Foodborne botulism comes from eating foods contaminated with the toxin.

| **Sources**             | **Infants:** Honey, home-canned vegetables and fruits, corn syrup **Children and adults:** Home-canned foods with a low acid content, improperly canned commercial foods, home-canned or fermented fish, herb-infused oils, baked potatoes in aluminum foil, cheese sauce, bottled garlic, foods held warm for extended periods of time |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Incubation Period**   | **Infants:** 3-30 days **Children and adults:** 12-72 hours                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| **Symptoms**            | **Infants:** Lethargy, weakness, poor feeding, constipation, poor head control, poor gag and sucking reflex **Children and adults:** Double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness                                                                              |
| **Duration of Illness** | Variable                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **What Do I Do?**       | Botulism is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms of botulism, contact your doctor immediately.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

### *General Information*

[Botulism](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/botulism.html?ref=foodconsumer.org) (NIH MedlinePlus)  
Trusted health information on causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

[Botulism](http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease%5Flisting/botulism%5Fgi.html?ref=foodconsumer.org) (CDC)  
General information on diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and more.

[Clostridium botulinum](http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/ucm070000.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org) (FDA)  
From the [Bad Bug Book](http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/default.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org); provides basic facts, including associated foods, frequency of disease, complications, and target populations.

[Frozen, Fully-Cooked Products & Botulism](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact%5FSheets/Frozen%5FFully%5FCooked%5FProducts%5F&%5FBotulism/index.asp?ref=foodconsumer.org) (USDA)  
Safety recommendations to prevent botulism.