Botulism is an infectious pathology thatusually occurs in an acute form and affects the human nervous system. Doctors recognize that the most common botulism in fish, so when using these products, you must be especially careful. What fish is more often infected with botulism? What symptoms accompany this disease? How to protect the body from poisoning?
Where from?
It is known that the causative agent of botulism in calmcondition lives in the soil, including silt, which is located at the bottom of freshwater bodies. Fish that feed on algae, including low ones, can swallow pathogen spores. There is an infection and development of botulism in fish.
It should be noted that the carriers of this diseaseherbivorous fish are becoming more common. Predators, on the other hand, are infected much less frequently, although if a predator decides to eat fish that are sick with botulism, infection is guaranteed.
In addition, infection can occur fromfish corpse, which decomposes in the habitat of the school. The carcass can be dangerous and throw a stick called botulinus, which is the main causative agent of infection.
What kind of fish can catch botulism?
Fish can be infected with absolutely any. It doesn’t matter where she lived. The most common types of infection are:
- sturgeon;
- all red fish;
- herring;
- burbot;
- zander;
- acne;
- ide;
- perch;
- carp;
- bream.
Of course, this is not the whole list of fish that can be infected, but all of these types are most often carriers of the disease.
It is also worth dispelling the myth that the sticksBotulinus is found only in freshwater fish. To the question of whether botulism occurs in marine fish, the answer is in the affirmative. Infection occurs in both river, and lake, and marine fish. The wand can live absolutely anywhere, because it lives in the soil, not in the water.
How to understand that a fish is infected?
Сухопутные животные тоже могут быть заражены this infection. According to their condition, one can immediately detect the presence of one or another pathology, but what about waterfowl, because their behavior can not be traced?
In order to figure out how to identify botulism in fish, you need to remember a few signs by which you can distinguish the infection:
- A strange smell that does not occur in a fresh product.
- If we are talking about canned food, then botulism gives out a bloated can or its lid.
- Infected fish, as a rule, scales are unpleasant to the touch. There is a slippery patina.
- Fish eyes are dull.
- When opening canned friable contents are found.
It is worth noting that all these signs are not specific, for example, an unpleasant fishy smell may be present in uninfected, but stale products.
Toasting fish
Is it possible to get rid of botulism in fish during frying?
In fact, this is the most dangerous way.The stick botulinum dies during heat treatment, but only after half an hour. As a rule, the fish is fried quickly, and in the pan it is not so much time, so this type of treatment is not recommended by doctors if there is a chance of infection.
If after buying a man began to doubtthe fact that the fish is not infected with a stick, you can soak it temporarily in any wine or lemon juice. With this method, the meat is marinated in an acidic environment, which prevents the development of bacteria.
Smoking against botulism
Smoking is also a bad way to handle infected fish. The fact is that cold smoking does not at all affect the development of spores and bacteria, and the hot one lasts quite a bit of time.
When smoked, the carcass quickly browns and becomes fragrant, but due to exposure to high temperatures, cooking time is significantly reduced.
Moreover, when fish is smoked, it is used.a small amount of salt, and marinating is not pedusmotre, therefore the stick botulinus feels fine and does not die with this method of processing vertebrates.
Drying and drying
Is botulism preserved in dried fish? After all, its preparation uses a large amount of salt.
Before drying or drying fish need to be well washed, cleaned and salted. It is important not to regret salt, because it dries in the open air without exposure to high temperatures.
Once the fish is ready, you need it correctly.keep. Only in this way can you protect yourself from infection with various diseases. Keep dried and dried fish can not be warm. But the cellar or the refrigerator fits perfectly. In the cold, the fish stay fresh longer.
Before long storage, each carcass should be wrapped in parchment. The use of polyethylene is strictly prohibited because:
- in plastic packaging the product quickly dampens;
- excessive moisture leads to the development of harmful microorganisms and to the multiplication of botulinum sticks.
Salted fish
Salty fish lovers should understand thatthe cooking process does not involve the use of high temperatures, so fish infected with botulism remains infectious for humans. However, there is a way to protect your health in this situation.
When cooking the main thing - do not regret salt.Do not be afraid that the product will turn out to be tasteless, as the meat of fish will absorb as much salt as necessary. When salting is necessary to fill the fish with 18% brine. Then botulism pathogens stop their activity and the product can be eaten without harm to health.
The cooking process is best done in the cold. Salt fish should be strictly in the refrigerator at a temperature not higher than 6aboutC. After preparation, it should be stored under the same conditions.
Only under such conditions will the fish be safe for human health and can it be eaten.
Botulism: symptoms of the disease
Если все-таки человека поразил данный недуг, то It is necessary to pay attention to the symptoms already in the early stages. Since this is a very serious infectious disease, early treatment is easier, and there is no serious harm to human health.
How does botulism initially manifest itself? Symptoms of the disease can be divided into:
- gastroenteritis (severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea);
- intoxication (fever, malaise and general weakness in the body);
- neurological manifestations (poor eyesight, fog in the eyes, mesh before the eyes, double vision, swelling of the mucous membrane, difficulty swallowing).
Later, the disease begins to progress, and the patient suffers from respiratory failure, decreased cardiovascular activity and paresis of the gastrointestinal tract.
In the acute form of botulism often affects the human optic nerves. Patients most often complain of poor eyesight and general weakness. The main ophthalmological symptoms in this pathology:
- century omission;
- pupil increase;
- different diameter of two pupils;
- poor response to light;
- reduced sharpness of view;
- a person cannot look at the tip of the nose.
Also very often violated and respiratory function. The disease can develop to the degree of lack of cough reflex and the impossibility of a deep breath.
How to protect yourself from infection?
Botulism in fish is now quite rare.The fact is that there are many ways to help a person protect his body from infection. When buying a vertebrate, you should follow simple rules, including:
- When gutting a carcass, it is important to thoroughly remove all entrails and wash the abdomen under running water several times.
- It is better to buy only frozen fish. In chilled fish, botulinum sticks develop more often.
- Cooking fish must be at a temperature above 100aboutWith and at least 30 minutes. The best way is roasting.
- Canned fish after opening is better to warm in the oven.
- When salting is necessary to add a large amount of salt.
- If canned fish are cooked at home, it is important to carefully sterilize containers before rolling.
- Dried, dried or salted fish should only be stored in a cold place.
- If at the opening of canned fish the bad smell has gone, the jar must be thrown away.
- You can not buy bloated canned food.
- Fish is better to buy in stores where there are documents on it. You should not purchase products in non-specialized shops, from private traders, fishermen, etc.
These rules are very simple, and it is not difficult to comply with them. Do not try to save money by buying cheap fish. It is better to do it where the quality is proven.
It is always necessary to remember that botulism issevere, though treatable disease. In the absence of proper treatment, the disease can seriously harm human health, and in some cases the fight against the disease can even end in death.
