One dead, 20 sick with Botulism symptoms after church potluck

One person has died and at least 20 others were sick with symptoms of foodborne Botulism following a weekend church potluck in Ohio, hospital officials said on Tuesday.

The Fairfield Medical Center said in a statement that the patients, five of whom were in a critical condition, had all attended a picnic at Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church in Lancaster on Sunday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had sent anti-toxin to treat the sick, the hospital said, while local health officials invesytigated the cause of the outbreak. Keep reading

As well as potlucks, churches hold banquets, barbecues, breakfasts, dinners, picnics, and other functions that involve the preparation and serving of food. The sale of food is also a common church fund-raising activity. Churches also operate Mothers' Day Out Programs and early childhood development centers that provide children with snacks and a cooked or brown bag lunch. Food poisoning traced to a church can not only damage the church's reputation but also involve the church in costly litigation. Churches need to educate their congregations, organizations, and small groups about food safety, develop and implement food safety guidelines for church functions and food sales, and take steps to ensure that Mothers' Day Out Programs and early childhood development centers are following adequate food safety practices. The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach website has extensive resources related to food safety and food preparation.  

Also see 
Botulism poisoning at church potluck leaves one dead, 20 others ill
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Food Safety
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Botulism
Foodsafety.gov: Home
Foodsafety.gov: Botulism
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Food Safety*
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Food Preparation*
University of Floria IFAS Extension: Preventing Foodborne Illness: Clostridium botulinum