It is extremely rare, with 15 to 20 cases per year in France, but it happened recently in Bordeaux. Between September 4 and 10, the wine and tapas bar “Tchin Tchin Wine bar” served nine batches of canned sardines which caused collective poisoning, the symptoms of which suggest that these were cases of botulism. This rare and serious neurological condition is produced by a bacteria which develops due to poor sterilization.
A young woman of 32, who dined on Saturday evening in the Bordeaux establishment with her companion, died suddenly at her home on Tuesday. Her partner is hospitalized in the Paris region. In total, since September 4, 15 cases of botulism have been recorded as of this Friday, some of which are in intensive care.
What happens to the restaurant in question?
A preliminary investigation into “homicide and involuntary injuries”, “placing on the market foodstuffs harmful to health” and “sale of corrupted or toxic foodstuffs” was opened by the Bordeaux Public Prosecutor’s Office this Friday.
The incriminated restaurant was requested, by prefectural decree, to carry out thorough disinfection, which will be controlled by the services of the departmental directorate for population protection (DDPP). If the control is suitable, “it will be authorized to reopen but without offering homemade products,” specifies Thierry Touzet, deputy director of the DDPP Gironde. The restaurateur is prohibited from manufacturing canned goods but can distribute wines and products processed by other companies. » Samples were taken from all of the establishment’s canned goods and the results are pending.
According to the first elements of the DDPP, it is a “lack of control” in the manufacture of canned goods which is at stake. “It is the responsibility of the restaurateur to control his process and to provide all guarantees on his process”, specifies the Ministry of Agriculture on its website. “We do not control all establishments every year, but canned goods are looked at closely because their manufacturing is a risky process which must be controlled,” explains Thierry Touzet. He announces a strengthening of controls in restaurants in Gironde in the coming weeks.
What are the rules for serving canned goods as a restaurant owner?
“In terms of hygiene, restaurateurs have a health risk control plan which must identify all the risks and put in place management measures,” states Quentin Guyonnet-Dupérat, deputy assistant director of food safety at the The Minister of Agriculture. Before opening a restaurant, you must complete preliminary training of a few dozen hours to obtain your operating permit and validate training in food hygiene, which does not include a component on canning.
“The number of restaurants that make their own preserves is very marginal,” puts Franck Chaumes, president of the Gironde union of hotel trades and industries, into perspective. I wanted to make my own pâté and I preferred to give my recipe to a canner, whose job it is. » Nevertheless, a restaurateur has the right to engage in the production of his own preserves, thereby committing to putting safe products on the market. “You must comply with the sterilizer manufacturer’s instructions for use,” emphasizes the deputy assistant director of food safety at the Ministry of Agriculture.
What controls are carried out in restaurants?
It is impossible to control all the restaurants in France every year. Each year, around 50,000 inspections are carried out by the services of the Directorate General of Food (DGAL) giving rise to 100,000 laboratory analyzes when INSEE lists 175,000 restaurants in France. Professionals are primarily responsible for the products they serve to their clients. They are supposed to carry out self-inspections on equipment, raw materials and finished products. If they become aware of unfavorable results, they must notify the public authorities and organize the withdrawal or recall of the products concerned.
“When we make homemade preserves,” Quentin Guyonnet-Dupérat would like to point out for individuals, “you must use healthy, undamaged raw materials and change the rubber seals each time you use them. The jar should make a noise when opened (plop) and if it is deformed or gives off a suspicious odor, it should be thrown away without hesitation.”