Can Tupperware cause botulism?
Dear Cecil: I worked for several years doing construction in arctic villages in Alaska. When I first got there I heard a story about how when Tupperware started making the rounds in rural Alaska the Yupik women used it to make fermented seal oil, which is the Eskimo version of ketchup. But the Tupperware made such a tight seal the oil not only fermented but created an extremely toxic brew resulting in numerous deaths. What’s up with that? Is it crapola or is burping tantamount to festered oil? — Alaska Vic Pleasure to get your letter, Vic — I can’t remember the last time I had a chance to put a billion-dollar corporation into a five-alarm panic. My inquiry regarding your story elicited the following terse response from a Tupperware vice president: “Tupperware has no knowledge of the incident … and therefore cannot confirm or deny it.” Noted. But while there’s no reason to implicate Tupperware specifically, Eskimo foods and airtight containers don’t mix. One observes the following data
