Switzerland's Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) has recalled a 360-gram glass jar of pork shank terrine after two people in Valais contracted foodborne botulism, with both patients now hospitalized.

The product, "Terrine de jarret de porc," was made by Eddy Gaspoz – Le Grand'Joie on Sept. 3, 2026, and carries a shelf-life date of June 2, 2027. It was sold at markets in Sierre and Martigny and in certain butcher shops in the region.

How many jars are still in consumers' hands?

The producer reportedly manufactured 20 jars. Twelve have been returned or consumed with no reported illness. Three jars that were sold remain affected and are the target of the recall. The suspected link between the terrine and the two Valais cases prompted the federal action.

What does botulism do?

Botulinum poisoning is rare but life-threatening, caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. In foodborne cases, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food.

Early signs include:

• Severe fatigue, weakness and dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Dry mouth
• Difficulty swallowing and speaking

The toxin can paralyze the muscles used for breathing and cause sudden death.

What should consumers do?

FSVO advises consumers who hold the product not to open or consume it, and to discard it. Anyone who has eaten the terrine and develops symptoms consistent with botulism should go to an emergency department immediately and tell medical staff about the consumption and the suspected botulism.

How common are foodborne outbreaks in Switzerland?

The cases come against a backdrop of significant foodborne illness activity. In 2025, Switzerland recorded 72 outbreaks of foodborne illness. Those outbreaks sickened 660 people, caused 21 hospitalizations and led to two deaths.

The recall of a small artisanal production run — 20 jars, with only three still unaccounted for in the affected batch — illustrates how concentrated the risk from improperly processed preserved meats can be, even at minimal distribution scale. FSVO's next outbreak figures will show whether hospital-treated botulism cases in Valais remain limited to these two patients.