The city is looking into whether two apparent cases of botulism were caused by tofu bought from a store in Queens. According to WABC 7, one of the cases is confirmed as botulism while the other person is suspected of having botulism: "Both patients are Chinese-speaking Queens residents and had recently purchased unrefrigerated fresh bulk tofu from the same store in Flushing."
The Health Department says the tofu was sold in an open water-filled bin (which is common at Asian stores). The Health Department is asking people to throw out "all fresh bulk tofu purchased from any New York City store that has been kept at room temperature and is also warning consumers to throw away tofu that has not been stored in a refrigerator at home." Also, cooking this tofu might not get rid of the bacteria: "The organism's spores can still remain in the tofu and, if the tofu is improperly handled, the spores can produce a toxin that causes illness."
A spokesperson for the Health Department told the Daily News, "We're still investigating the origin and destinations of the tofu, and because of that we aren't disclosing the name of the store."
According to the A.D.A.M. Medical Enclyclopedia, "Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The bacteria may enter the body through wounds, or they may live in improperly canned or preserved food... Symptoms usually appear 8 - 36 hours after you eat contaminated food. There is NO fever with this infection." Symptoms in adults include: Abdominal cramps; Breathing difficulty that may lead to respiratory failure; Difficulty swallowing and speaking; Double vision; Dry mouth; Nausea; Vomiting; Weakness with paralysis (equal on both sides of the body)."
