Botulism
Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin produced by Clostridium bacteria. Alaska consistently has among the highest rates of foodborne botulism in the United States, almost always related to the consumption of aged, or 'fermented', traditional foods. When preparing or eating traditional aged foods, follow the best practices as discussed in the video "A Helping Hand" under "Resources for the General Public".
In other parts of the country, botulism is typically associated with home-canned foods, especially low acid foods like vegetables. This happens in Alaska too. When canning at home, be sure to follow best practices as discussed in the "Resources for the General Public".
There are two other types of botulism, wound botulism and infant botulism. Neither is common in Alaska.
Resources for the General Public
Resources for Healthcare Providers
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