High-toxicity bacteria in food pose significant risks to many patients, especially pregnant women.
Questions
Question 1: In 2011, how many people died in the food poisoning outbreak in Northern Germany?
A – 43
B – 53
C – 78
Question 2: How many people died in the grain poisoning incident (France) on August 16, 1951?
A – 7 people
B – 67 people
C – 77 people
Question 3: In 1858, over 200 people in Bradford (England) suddenly suffered arsenic poisoning related to which food?
A – Candy
B – Bread
C – Beef
Question 4: In 1971, how many people died in Iraq from consuming mercury-contaminated seeds?
A – 550 people
B – 650 people
C – 1550 people
Question 5: In which U.S. state does white sturgeon poisoning occur most frequently?
A – Texas
B – Florida
C – Alaska
Question 6: How many people died in the U.S. due to Listeria-contaminated sausages in 1998-1999?
A – 14 people
B – 24 people
C – 34 people
Question 7: In 2017, a man in Ravensburg (Germany) was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for mixing poison into food for children. What poison did he use?
A – Ethylene glycol
B – Methyl mercury
C – Cyanide
Answers
Question 1: The correct answer is B: In 2011, a new strain of Escherichia coli caused a food poisoning outbreak primarily affecting Northern Germany. Approximately 4,000 people were infected, among which 53 people died.
Question 2: The correct answer is A: On August 16, 1951, in Pont Saint-Esprit, France, over 250 residents of this small village experienced madness-induced hallucinations, resulting in 7 deaths and 50 hospitalizations. Authorities declared it a mass poisoning event caused by a foodborne illness, likely from ergot of rye. Ergot is a fungus that can cause hallucinations (Claviceps purpurea) that is commonly found on rye plants. When ingested, the alkaloids produced by the fungus cause hallucinations. Victims reported sensations of snakes crawling in their arms or feeling as though they were sitting on a pile of fire… Some victims jumped out of windows, while others harmed themselves by scratching their skin, believing insects were crawling inside them.
Question 3: The correct answer is A: In 1858, England experienced a shocking food poisoning incident that led to over 200 hospitalizations, with 21 fatalities. The cause was traced to sweet treats sold at Green Market, Bradford, which were accidentally contaminated with arsenic. The candy manufacturer substituted sugar with a cheaper sweetener. However, a pharmacist mistakenly sold arsenic to them, leading to this poisoning case. This incident contributed to the establishment of the Pharmacy Act of 1868 in England and legislation against food adulteration.
Question 4: The correct answer is B: One of the largest public health crises and one of the most notorious mass food poisoning incidents occurred in 1971, involving seeds used for agriculture. The seeds were treated with methyl mercury fungicide, which is highly toxic. After treatment, the seeds were shipped by boat to Iraq. The bags containing the seeds were labeled in Spanish and English with warning colors and images, but the rural Iraqi population was illiterate in both languages. They overlooked the skull and crossbones printed on the seed bags, thinking they were food items and consumed them. Those who ingested the toxic seeds suffered from muscle paralysis, vision loss, and typical symptoms of mercury poisoning. As many as 650 people died from eating or coming into contact with mercury-contaminated seeds, but many believe the actual death toll could be ten times higher. Approximately 10,000 people suffered permanent brain damage from mercury exposure.
Question 5: The correct answer is C: Although this fish species accounts for only 0.2% of the fish population in the U.S., Alaska alone accounts for 50% of botulism poisoning cases. Most poisoning incidents are related to the consumption of native food. Arctic explorers have encountered the tragic fate of an entire village dying from botulism after consuming contaminated meat. Botulism is a food toxin that has existed since ancient times and has a very high mortality rate, caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium produces toxins in the body, leading to muscle paralysis, difficulty breathing, loss of sensation, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, paralysis, and death.
Question 6: The correct answer is B: In 1998-1999, Listeria-contaminated sausages caused food poisoning in 100 people across 24 states in the U.S. 14 of them died, and 4 pregnant women suffered miscarriages.
Question 7: The correct answer is A: In 2017, Peter Vobiller from Ravensburg, Germany, was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for murder and extortion. He admitted to mixing 5 containers of children’s food with ethylene glycol on the shelves in supermarkets in the city of Friedrichshafen. According to DW, the amount of poison in each container was sufficient to kill a child. Ethylene glycol is commonly found in antifreeze mixtures. Fortunately, there were no victims in this incident.
