Outgrowth and Toxin Production by Clostridium botulinum in Bottled Chopped Garlic

1988 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 862-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAIM M. SOLOMON ◽  
DONALD A. KAUTTER

The ability of Clostridium botulinum types A and B spores to grow and produce toxin in commercially bottled chopped garlic in soybean oil was investigated. Eight type A and seven type B strains of C. botulinum, mostly of vegetable origin, were used as inocula. Various numbers of spores were inoculated directly into the jars containing garlic, incubated at 35°C and sampled for organoleptic acceptance and presence of toxin every 5th d. In parallel studies conducted at room temperature, jars were sampled at 15-d intervals. At 35°C, when 1 spore/g of garlic was used as inoculum, toxin was produced in 15 d by type A and in 20 d by type B strains. At room temperature, five spores of type A or B per g of garlic produced toxin throughout 75 d. Even when highly toxic, garlic looked and smelled acceptable. Five strains of C. botulinum type A were isolated from 115 bulbs of fresh garlic.

1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (10) ◽  
pp. 878-881 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAIM M. SOLOMON ◽  
E. JEFFERY RHODEHAMEL ◽  
DONALD A. KAUTTER

The ability of Clostridium botulinum type A or B spores to grow and produce toxin in fresh raw potatoes under vacuum with or without sulfite at 22°C was investigated. Fresh, peeled, sliced potatoes, untreated or dipped for 2 min in sulfite (NaHSO3) and drained, were surface-inoculated at several levels with a mixture of C. botulinum spores, either type A or B, and placed in oxygen-impermeable bags (200 g/bag) that were then vacuum-sealed and incubated at room temperature (22°C). Toxicity was tested on days 0, 3, 4, 5 and 6. After incubation, the potatoes were blended and centrifuged, and the millipore-filtered supernatant fluid was injected intraperitoneally into mice. Sensory evaluation, except taste, was also performed. Potatoes inoculated with C. botulinum type A spores, but untreated with NaHSO3 became toxic in 3 days, which coincided with the sensory evaluation, “Unfit for human consumption.” However, despite inoculum size or residual SO2 levels, potatoes treated with NaHSO3 appeared acceptable for human consumption through day 6, even though they were toxic after 4 days of incubation. Toxicity from type B spores occurred later and in fewer test samples than type A. Again, the potatoes appeared acceptable but were toxic. Thus, although NaHSO3 markedly extended the consumer acceptability of peeled, sliced, raw potatoes at the abuse temperature, it did not inhibit outgrowth and toxin production by C. botulinum under these same conditions.


1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIMOTHY LILLY ◽  
HAIM M. SOLOMON ◽  
E. JEFFERY RHODEHAMEL

Because modified atmosphere-packaged (MAP) vegetables may provide an anaerobic environment conducive to Clostridium botulinum growth and toxin production, the incidence of C. botulinum spores in commercially available, precut MAP vegetables was determined. One-pound (454-g) packages of MAP vegetables were aseptically opened, added to freshly steamed and cooled sterile trypticase-peptone-glucose-yeast extract broth and incubated at 35°C for 7 days. Positive and negative controls were included with each sampling. After incubation the broth cultures were tested for toxicity by the standard mouse bioassay. Of the 1,118 MAP vegetable packages examined, one package each of shredded cabbage, chopped green pepper, and Italian salad mix contained C. botulinum type A spores. One additional salad mix (main ingredient, escarole) contained both C. botulinum type A and type B spores. Results indicated a low overall incidence rate (0.36%) of C. botulinum spores in commercially available precut MAP vegetables.


1979 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
JACORA C. DE WIT ◽  
S. NOTERMANS ◽  
N. GORIN ◽  
E. H. KAMPELMACHER

Garlic oil (or onion oil) when used in the proportion of 1500 μg per g of meat slurry inhibited toxin production by Clostridium botulinum type A (strain 73A). The inhibition, however, was not complete. Toxin production by C. botulinum type B (strain RIV 1) and type E (strain RIV 2) was not inhibited. It is not recommended that these oils be used for inhibiting toxin production by C. botulinum, as meat and meat products can contain several types of Clostridium sp. and not just type A.


1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAIM M. SOLOMON ◽  
E. JEFFERY RHODEHAMEL ◽  
DONALD A. KAUTTER

The ability of Clostridium botulinum type A or B spores to grow and produce toxin on fresh raw potatoes in a modified atmosphere with or without sulfite was investigated at 22°C. Fresh, peeled, sliced potatoes, untreated or dipped for 2 min into 0.7% sulfite solution and drained, were surface-inoculated at several concentration levels with a mixture of C. botulinum spores, either type A or B. They were placed in a modified atmosphere (30% N/70% CO2) within oxygen-impermeable bags (200 g/bag) and incubated at room temperature (22°C). Toxicity was tested on days 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. After incubation, the potatoes were blended and centrifuged, and the Millipore-filtered supernatant fluid was injected intraperitoneally into mice. Sensory evaluation, except taste, was also performed. Potatoes inoculated with C. botulinum type A spores but untreated with NaHSO3 became toxic in 4 to 5 days, which coincided with the sensory evaluation “unfit for human consumption.” Potatoes treated with NaHSO3 regardless of inoculum size or residual SO2 levels appeared acceptable for human consumption through day 7, even though they were toxic after 4 days of incubation. Although toxicity from type B spores occurred later and in fewer test samples than toxicity from type A, some potatoes again appeared acceptable but were toxic. Thus, although NaHSO3 markedly extended the consumer acceptability of peeled, sliced, raw potatoes at the abuse temperature, it did not inhibit outgrowth and toxin production by C. botulinum under these conditions.


1991 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 648-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAIM M. SOLOMON ◽  
DONALD A. KAUTTER ◽  
E. JEFFERY RHODEHAMEL ◽  
TIMOTHY LILLY

A variety of unacidified products bottled in oil or water were investigated for their ability to support growth and toxin production by Clostridium botulinum. The products were inoculated with a mixture of five strains of C. botulinum type A spores (about 50 spores/g or ml) and incubated at room temperature (23°C). At monthly intervals the organoleptic acceptability of the products, as determined by appearance, odor, and texture, was evaluated and a portion of each sample was removed, diluted 1:2 in gel-phosphate buffer, and injected intraperitoneally into mice. At the end of 4 months the drained solids of each sample were macerated with a minimal amount of buffer and centrifuged; the clear extracts were then injected into mice. None of the products tested supported growth and toxin production by C. botulinum.


1990 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 831-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAIM M. SOLOMON ◽  
DONALD A. KAUTTER ◽  
TIMOTHY LILLY ◽  
E. JEFFERY RHODEHAMEL

The ability of Clostridium botulinum types A and B spores to grow and produce toxin in shredded cabbage at room temperature under a modified atmosphere was investigated. Seven type A and seven type B strains of C. botulinum, mostly of vegetable origin, were used as inocula. Shredded cabbage in high barrier bags, 250 g/bag, was inoculated with various numbers of spores, sealed under a modified atmosphere of 70% CO2 and 30% N2 and incubated at room temperature. Duplicate bags were examined for organoleptic acceptability and the presence of toxin from day 3 by blending the entire contents of each bag and injecting mice with dilutions of the extracts. Toxic extracts were typed with appropriate antitoxins. Only type A spores grew and produced toxin in the cabbage. An inoculum of approximately 100–200 type A spores/g of cabbage, whether in single strains or in various combinations, produced toxin on days 4, 5, and 6, while the cabbage was still organoleptically acceptable, as determined by appearance, odor, and texture.


2013 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 1384-1392 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. RUKMA REDDY ◽  
KRISTIN M. MARSHALL ◽  
TRAVIS R. MORRISSEY ◽  
VIVIANA LOEZA ◽  
EDUARDO PATAZCA ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to determine the resistance of multiple strains of Clostridium botulinum type A and proteolytic type B spores exposed to combined high pressure and thermal processing and compare their resistance with Clostridium sporogenes PA3679 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TMW-2.479-Fad-82 spores. The resistance of spores suspended in N-(2-acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (ACES) buffer (0.05 M, pH 7.0) was determined at a process temperature of 105°C, with high pressures of 600, 700, and 750 MPa by using a laboratory-scale pressure test system. No surviving spores of the proteolytic B strains were detected after processing at 105°C and 700 MPa for 6 min. A >7-log reduction of B. amyloliquefaciens spores was observed when processed for 4 min at 105°C and 700 MPa. D-values at 105°C and 700 MPa for type A strains ranged from 0.57 to 2.28 min. C. sporogenes PA3679 had a D-value of 1.48 min at 105°C and 700 MPa. Spores of the six type A strains with high D-values along with C. sporogenes PA3679 and B. amyloliquefaciens were further evaluated for their pressure resistance at pressures 600 and 750 MPa at 105°C. As the process pressure increased from 600 to 750 MPa at 105°C, D-values of some C. botulinum strains and C. sporogenes PA3679 spores decreased (i.e., 69-A, 1.91 to 1.33 min and PA3679, 2.35 to 1.29 min). Some C. botulinum type A strains were more resistant than C. sporogenes PA3679 and B. amyloliquefaciens to combined high pressure and heat, based on D-values determined at 105°C. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was also performed to establish whether strains with a similar restriction banding pattern also exhibited similar D-values. However, no correlation between the genomic background of a strain and its resistance to high pressure processing was observed, based on PFGE analysis. Spores of proteolytic type B strains of C. botulinum were less resistant to combined high pressure and heat (700 MPa and 105°C) treatment when compared with spores of type A strains.


2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
AGNÈS BRACONNIER ◽  
VÉRONIQUE BROUSSOLLE ◽  
SYLVIE PERELLE ◽  
PATRICK FACH ◽  
CHRISTOPHE NGUYEN-THE ◽  
...  

A molecular method was used for the detection of Clostridium botulinum spores of type A, B, and E in commercial cooked and pasteurized vegetable purées and in the raw materials (vegetables and other ingredients). The method allowed the detection of less than 8 spores/g of product for C. botulinum type A, less than 1 spore/g for proteolytic type B, less than 21 spores/g for nonproteolytic type B, and less than 0.1 spore/g for type E. Thirty-seven samples of raw vegetables and ingredients were tested for the presence of C. botulinum type A, B, and E; 88 and 90 samples of vegetable purées were tested, respectively, for the presence of C. botulinum type A and B and for the presence of C. botulinum type E. All samples were negative, suggesting that the prevalence of C. botulinum in these vegetable purées and the raw ingredients is probably low.


1987 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 330-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
GENERO W. GARCIA ◽  
CONSTANTIN GENIGEORGIS ◽  
SEPPO LINDROTH

In factorial design experiments we inoculated fresh salmon fillets with a spore pool of 13 nonproteolytic strains of Clostridium botulinum type B, E, and F at 6 levels (10−1 to 104/50 g of fillet), and incubated at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 30°C under modified atmospheres (MA) of vacuum, 100% CO2 and 70% CO2 + 30% air for up to 60 d. The earliest time we detected toxin in the fillets at 30, 12 and 8°C, irrespective of MA, was after 1, 3–9 and 6–12 d of storage and required 100–103, 101–103, 101–102 spores/fillet. The probability (P) of toxin production was significantly (P<0.05) affected by temperature (T), MA storage time (ST), MA × T, MA × ST and T × ST. Only type B toxin was detected in the toxic fillets. No toxin was detected in fillets stored at 4°C for up to 60 d. Toxin detection coincided with spoilage at 30°C, but preceded spoilage at 8 and 12°C, and followed spoilage at 4°C. Using linear and logistic regression analysis, best fit equations were derived relating the length of the lag phase and P of toxin production to T, ST, MA and spore inoculum level.


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