Second botulism death linked to turnip greens sandwich in Calabria

A botulism outbreak at a Calabria festival has claimed a second life and hospitalised 17 people after consuming a turnip greens sandwich.

Second botulism death linked to turnip greens sandwich in Calabria

In Diamante, Calabria health authorities linked a turnip greens and sausage sandwich sold at a local festival to botulism cases. Luigi Di Sarno, 52, was the first to die, followed by Tamara D Acunto, 45. Seventeen people were hospitalised and an 11 year old boy remains in stable condition at a hospital in Rome. Police have launched an investigation as the food truck operator faces scrutiny and jars of the suspected greens have been confiscated.

Botulism is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum and can be life threatening in about 10 percent of cases. Authorities advise caution with risky foods and urge people not to eat canned or jarred products where the safety lid has popped up.

Outbreaks like this show how small safety lapses at public events can trigger wide harm.

Officials must move quickly to identify the source, protect the public, and restore trust in local markets. The case raises questions about vendor responsibility and festival oversight, and will test the speed and effectiveness of regulatory responses.

Highlights

Authorities say more tests will guide the response