Botulism is a serious, often fatal form of foodborne illness. Illness is caused by a poison, which is produced by "Clostridium botulinum", a bacterium that is found everywhere -- in soil, on raw fruits and vegetables and on meat and fish. It grows in conditions where there is no oxygen, and over the years, a number of Canadians have died from botulism, as a direct result of improper home canning.