A high-resolution image of the molecular carrier that moves the botulinum toxin from the intestine into the bloodstream. The carrier (silver) creates gaps in the gut lining by grabbing the rope-like molecules (red ribbons) that tether one intestinal cell to the next. Rongsheng Jin, UC Irvine, and Min Dong, Harvard Medical School hide caption
Botulism bacteria, or Clostridium botulinum, grow in poorly preserved canned foods, especially meat and fish. The microbe's toxin could be lethal as a bioweapon. Dr. Phil Luton/Science Photo Library/Corbis hide caption
The botulism toxin comes from Clostridium botulinum bacteria, seen here in a colorized micrograph. James Cavallini/Science Source hide caption
If you must make pruno, avoid potatoes. iStockphoto.com hide caption
A hoarded baked potato appears to have been the source of botulism in some prison-made hooch. iStockphoto.com hide caption
Euphoria Fancy Food issues an alert about "uneviscerated" salted herring. FDA hide caption