A suspected botulism outbreak in Italy has claimed the life of 52-year-old musician Luigi Di Sarno and left nine others hospitalised after consuming broccoli sandwiches from a food truck in Diamante, Cosenza.

Authorities believe the oil-preserved broccoli used in the sandwiches may have been contaminated with botulinum toxin, a rare but potentially deadly neurotoxin that attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis and respiratory failure.

Di Sarno fell gravely ill while travelling home from a family holiday in Calabria and died before reaching hospital. Several members of his family and other customers were admitted to intensive care, with two in critical condition at Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza.

In response, the Paola Public Prosecutor’s Office seized the food truck and jars of the suspected product. A statewide broccoli ban has been enforced to prevent further cases.

This outbreak follows a recent incident in Sardinia where at least eight people became ill, and one died, after eating tainted guacamole. Both events have prompted a nationwide review of food safety protocols.

Italian health officials, working with the Ministry of Health’s Poison Control Centre, rapidly distributed antitoxin serum to hospitals. The US CDC warns that botulism often stems from improperly canned, preserved, or fermented foods, though commercial contamination can also occur.