A student has come forward after consuming a ‘toxic broccoli’ sandwich that is reportedly linked to two fatalities and 17 hospitalizations in Calabria, Italy.
According to Italian news agency ANSA, Tamara D’Acunto, 45, and Luigi Di Sarno, 52, died last week after eating a contaminated sandwich in the region.
Reports from LBC indicate that at least 17 individuals have been hospitalized with botulism symptoms, including two teenagers and two women in their 40s.
Additionally, People reports that five of these hospitalized individuals are in critical condition in the ICU.
Botulism is an illness caused by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, which can affect the nervous system, leading to symptoms like breathing difficulties and muscle paralysis, as per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In severe cases, it can be fatal.
Gaia Vitiello is one of the affected individuals who purchased a panini from a food truck in the town of Diamante.
Vitiello shared her experience with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, explaining that she and her friends all purchased the same sandwich on August 5, but she was the only one to add broccoli.
“My friends only had mayonnaise, sausage, and chips. I added broccoli. It was the first time I’d ever done that,” she revealed.
She initially thought her symptoms were due to indigestion but became concerned when they worsened. “I had diarrhea. I thought it was indigestion. The next day, the symptoms worsened. I couldn’t swallow and my legs were shaking,” she recounted.
The 24-year-old student intended to rest and recover, but her sister insisted on taking her to the hospital for an evaluation.
“If my sister Alessia hadn’t taken me to the hospital by force, I wouldn’t be here today,” she admitted.
Vitiello was then transferred to another hospital where she received the necessary medical care.
The food truck responsible for serving the sandwiches has been shut down by authorities, with ITV News reporting that the broccoli used was preserved in oil.
The Paola Public Prosecutor’s Office is actively investigating the botulism outbreak associated with the food truck, having already identified several products containing the toxin.
Maria Rosaria Campitiello, the Head of the Department of Prevention, Research, and Health Emergencies, has previously stated that patients are receiving ‘lifesaving antidote treatments.’
“It should be noted that the foods at risk of botulinum toxin are homemade preserves prepared vacuum-packed, in oil, or in water, and, rarely, industrial products,” she stated. “This is why it is important to follow the rules for the correct and safe preparation and storage of food.”