Six people have been hospitalized in the Maine-et-Loire department of the Pays de la Loire region in France after contracting botulism. The illness was traced to the consumption of artisanal canned carrots, reportedly used in a carrot cake eaten by a group that included elderly couples. Several of the cases have been reported as severe. Authorities have linked the outbreak to homemade preserves, highlighting the risks associated with improperly prepared canned foods.