It was in September, at the Tchin Tchin wine bar in southwest France, that it happened.
A 32-year-old Greek woman fell ill and died after eating sardines. She is said to have died of botulism and the restaurant has been closed again. The Public Health Agency writes that botulism is a poisoning and is found all over the world, but is now rare in Sweden.
“The disease is caused by a bacterial poison (a toxin) which is one of the strongest known. A “snap glass” of pure botulinum toxin would be enough to kill the entire population of Sweden. The toxin blocks the nerve impulses to striated muscles and causes paralysis in, among other things, the respiratory muscles,” they write on their website.
Can be imprisoned for five years
Within a week, 16 people fell ill after eating sardines at the restaurant. On Tuesday, the chef was arrested at Tchin Thcin, reports AFP. On Wednesday, he was charged with causing another person’s death and selling poisoned food. The chef faces five years in prison.
After an investigation, French authorities have concluded that approximately 25 people were exposed to the poisoned sardines.
The Public Health Agency writes on its website that “in classic botulism, one has been poisoned by some (improperly prepared) food, in which the bacteria could grow and form toxins and which was also not cooked before consumption (for example, home preserves, pickled fish, vacuum-packed fish or sausages)” .