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HOME-CANNING OR BOTTLING LOBSTER, CLAMS, WHELKS AND OTHER SEAFOOD IN ATLANTIC CANADA ... IS IT SAFE?

Many Atlantic Canadians home can or bottle different types of fish and shellfish. Home canning/bottling, the practice of preserving food in sealed glass jars, goes back generations. Every year, however, a number of Atlantic Canadians get sick from eating canned or bottled lobster, clams, whelks and other seafood that have been improperly prepared, canned or stored.

Before eating home-canned or bottled lobster, clams, whelks or other seafood – whether you canned them yourself, bought them (i.e. in a farmers market, a road-side stand, a corner store, a community fair, etc.) or received them as a gift, you need to be aware of some potential risks to your health.

Foods such as lobster, clams, whelks and other seafood, are considered low acid foods under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations and must be pressure canned to eliminate the air in the container and to destroy the bacterium that causes botulism food poisoning, called Clostridium botulinum C. botulinum.

Why does canned/bottled lobster, clams, whelks and other seafood pose a health risk?

Lobster, clams, whelks and other canned or bottled seafood can contain the bacteria which, under certain conditions, produces botulinum toxin, which causes botulism food poisoning. If these foods are prepared, canned/bottled or stored improperly, they could make you very sick.

The botulinum toxin is colourless, odourless, tasteless and invisible to the naked eye. Cooking product contaminated with botulinum toxin will not guarantee that the toxin has been destroyed.

Products offered for sale that are prepared according to federal regulations (commercially prepared) are processed under strict controls which minimize or eliminate hazards. Home-canned or bottled lobsters, clams, whelks and other canned seafood may not always be produced under these strict controls. Therefore, your health could be at risk if you eat them.

What are the symptoms of botulism food poisoning?

The symptoms of botulism food poisoning can include: nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, headache, double vision, dryness in the throat and nose, respiratory failure and paralysis. Symptoms can appear from 2 hours to 8 days (although the average is 1-2 days) after eating contaminated fish and shellfish products and can last 2 hours to 14 days. Symptoms may linger much longer and could even cause permanent injury or death.

What can I do to protect myself and my family against botulism?

You can greatly reduce the chance of getting sick from eating canned or bottled clams, lobster, whelks or other seafood by avoiding these products if they have not been prepared according to federal regulations (commercially prepared).

If you are home-canning/bottling your own low-acid foods (including clams, lobster and whelks), the following steps will help to reduce the risk of contamination or the presence of botulinum toxin:

• use a pressure canner to eliminate air in the container and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for canning or bottling foods considered to be low-acid;
• clean and sanitize your hands, all work surfaces, food, utensils, and equipment and keep them clean during all stages of the canning process.

Never eat canned or bottled foods if you suspect the item has been tampered with, if the closure/seal has been broken or if the container is leaking.

If you experience symptoms of botulism, seek medical attention immediately.

Where do I get more information?

Food safety fact sheets, including one on botulism, are available on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Web site www.inspection.gc.ca.

If you have any concerns regarding food products you have purchased, you may contact your local Canadian Food Inspection Agency office (under Federal Government blue page listings in the telephone book).

June 2005