Botulism believed to be cause of death of local man; health officials give warning on proper canning

Grays Harbor County Public Health shared information about proper home canning guidelines to avoid risk of deadly botulism after a local man died from a suspected case of the illness.

According to a release, a man between 55-65 died over the weekend due to a probable cause of botulism, although confirmation on cause of death is awaiting test results.

In a release, the local health department, Grays Harbor County Environmental Health assisted the property owner with the safe disposal of around 170 pint-sized jars of home-canned food and canning jars per CDC guidelines. 

Their release states that botulism is odorless and cannot be seen or tasted; however, even a small taste of food containing the toxin can be deadly, according to the CDC.

 They shared information from the CDC that stresses home canning cab be used to preserve everything from seafood to vegetables, can put people at risk of botulism if not done correctly.

 Using proper canning techniques, the right kind of equipment, and disposing of any canned foods that may not have been properly preserved is the best way to keep your home canned goods safe. 

 

From Grays Harbor County Public Health:

Two resources for safe canning practices include the CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/home-canning-and-botulism.html – and Washington State University Extension Grays Harbor – https://extension.wsu.edu/graysharbor/family/food/. 

If you’re new to canning or need a refresher, the USDA has a great resource, the Complete Guide to Home Canning, available for free download at https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/usda/GUIDE01_HomeCan_rev0715.pdf.