A bulletin for the Australian Food Industry December 1996
Contents: Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli outbreak in Japan | Cross-contamination and EHEC | Repercussions from food poisoning incidents | Statistical methods and food safety | National food hygiene standard | Botulism linked to cheese
Botulism linked to cheese
A number of cases of botulism in southern Italy, including the death of a fifteen year old boy in Naples, have been linked to a batch of mascarpone, a soft Italian cheese. Only the one batch of cheese from a single manufacturer has been implicated.
The teenager died and two others became ill after eating home made tiramisu, a traditional Italian dessert containing the mascarpone. The other reported cases appear to have been caused by the same batch of cheese, not incorporated into tiramisu. Mascarpone, which is also made in Australia, is a high fat, soft cheese with a smooth, creamy texture. It is often likened in character to clotted cream and is usually served with fruit or as a dessert.
Italy's milk and cheese producers have pointed out that there is no precedent for this type of product being a cause of botulism but health officials believe they have confirmed the mascarpone as the source of the botulinum. Because of its high moisture, low acid nature, mascarpone does not have the inherent stability of many cheeses and requires adequate refrigeration for stability.
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