What Are the Symptoms of Botulism?
The CDC describes botulism as a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body's nerves, causing difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and even death. The toxin is made by Clostridium botulinum and sometimes Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii bacteria.
The CDC lists the common signs and symptoms as difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurry vision, slurred speech, difficulty breathing and difficulty moving the eyes, and says foodborne botulism might also bring vomiting, nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea. It says botulism can weaken the muscles used in breathing, which can lead to difficulty breathing and even death, and that botulism is an emergency, so people with symptoms should see a doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.
Most US outbreaks trace to home canning. The CDC says foodborne botulism can happen by eating foods contaminated with botulinum toxin, that common sources are homemade foods improperly canned, preserved or fermented, and that store-bought foods can also be contaminated, though that is uncommon. It says home-canned vegetables, which are low-acid foods, are the most common cause of botulism outbreaks in the United States, and that pressure canning is the only recommended method for canning low-acid foods. Treatment is with antitoxin, which the CDC says prevents the toxin from causing more harm but does not heal damage already done, and works best when given early.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe CDC describes botulism as a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body's nerves, causing difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and even death. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says common signs and symptoms of botulism include difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurry vision, slurred speech, difficulty breathing and difficulty moving the eyes. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says signs and symptoms in foodborne botulism also might include vomiting, nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says botulism can weaken muscles used in breathing, which can lead to difficulty breathing and even death, and that people with symptoms should see a doctor or go to the emergency room immediately. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says common sources of foodborne botulism are homemade foods improperly canned, preserved or fermented, and that store-bought foods also can be contaminated, though it is uncommon. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says home-canned vegetables, which are low-acid foods, are the most common cause of botulism outbreaks in the United States, and pressure canning is the only recommended method for canning low-acid foods. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says botulism is treated with antitoxin, which prevents the toxin from causing more harm but does not heal damage already done, and works best when given early in the illness. CDC ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.