Police Raid Food Festival After Deadly Botulism Outbreak

Italian police have raided a popular South American food festival in Sardinia after a woman’s death was linked to tainted guacamole — part of a botulism outbreak now spreading across the country.

Thirty-eight-year-old Roberta Pitzalis collapsed last Friday after eating guacamole from a vendor at the Fiesta Latina festival in Cagliari. She died soon after.

“Roberta was vibrant, fun, and loved to travel,” said a longtime friend in Cagliari. “The idea that she’s gone because of a dip on a taco is just unthinkable.”

Eight others were hospitalized from the same event, including an 11-year-old boy now in intensive care.

On Monday, armed police and public health officers stormed the Fiesta Latina headquarters. They confiscated roughly $32,000 worth of improperly stored goods — rice, tomato paste, flour — and collected avocado pulp for testing.

Authorities named Argentinian businessman Gustavo Vincenti as the owner of the kiosk tied to Pitzalis’ death. His attorney insists he followed all food-safety rules.

“We are heartbroken for the family,” lawyer Maurizio Mereu told Italian media. “The products were sealed and sourced from trusted suppliers.”

The botulism scare is no longer contained to Sardinia. Two other victims — Tamara D’Acunto, 45, and musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52 — died after eating broccoli-and-sausage sandwiches from a food truck in southern Italy.

“This outbreak is one of the worst we’ve seen in a decade,” said Dr. Elena Rossi, an infectious disease specialist in Rome. “Botulism is fast, ruthless, and often fatal if not treated immediately.”

At least 17 people are hospitalized nationwide. Italian health officials have recalled multiple brands of jarred friarielli (broccoli rabe) after tests confirmed contamination.

Botulism, caused by toxins from Clostridium botulinum, is rare but deadly. In the U.S., most cases have historically come from home-canned foods. But in recent years, outbreaks have been traced to imported vegetables, packaged dips, and even unregulated beauty treatments.

Symptoms — which can appear within hours — include blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, muscle weakness, and respiratory failure.

With President Trump back in the White House, the USDA issued a travel advisory urging Americans in Europe to avoid “unverified street food vendors” until the outbreak is contained.

“Food safety is national security,” a White House spokesperson said Tuesday. “We are tracking the Italian situation closely and will take action to protect Americans abroad.”