Notes About Botulism Food Poisoning by
Clostridium botulinum :
What is Botulism Food Poisoning?
Botulism is a life-threatening food-borne disease that causes
neuroparalysis from the consumption of botulinum neurotoxins
(BoNTs). Botulism is a rare disease but has a high fatality rate even a
small amount of toxin can kill millions.
Clostridium botulinum causes intoxication i.e, disease occurs either
from ingesting preformed BoNTs in foods or production of BoNTs in
the intestine.
There are seven distinct botulinum toxins (Type A to G) that cause
disease in humans and animals.
The clinical-epidemiological forms of botulism are food-borne
botulism, infant botulism and wound botulism.
Botulinum toxins Type A, B and E are associated with food-borne
botulism in humans.
The lethal dose of BoNTs for humans is 0.2µg to 2µg per kg body
weight.
Botulinum toxin is considered a hazardous biological substance in
the environment.
, Source of Clostridium
botulinum contamination
C. botulinum is anaerobic, spore former, gram-positive bacterium
and its spores are widely distributed in the environment from the
soil to sewage, mud, lakes, sediments of sea and oceans and are
also found in the intestine of land and aquatic animals.
Due to the nature of the bacterium to grow in wide distribution, its
spore can contaminate foods where it colonizes and produces
toxins.
C. botulinum spores contaminating honey and syrup which are the
major source of infant botulism.
Poorly processed canned foods are also the main source of
contamination as the spores can tolerate high heating temperatures
during processing.
Other food sources include various types of lake and sea fishes,
smoked, salt-dried and fermented meat products.
Type A and B BoTNs are also commonly present in soil and
biofertilizers, therefore, they are likely to contaminate vegetables
and fruits.
Improperly cooked vegetable products such as beans, baked
potatoes, corn, celery, mushrooms, onions and olives.
Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin
production
The BoNTs are extracellular proteins produced by C. botulinum that
weighs around 150kDa.
Based on the physiology and phylogenetic of bacteria, BoNTs have
seven distinct serotypes from Type A to H.
All seven toxins are categorized into four groups based on
proteolytic and non-proteolytic activity: Group I, II, III and IV.
Group I proteolytic Type A, B and F can proliferate on temperature
range from 10 to 20°C similarly Group II non-proteolytic Type B, E
and F at 2.5 to 3°C.
Clostridium botulinum :
What is Botulism Food Poisoning?
Botulism is a life-threatening food-borne disease that causes
neuroparalysis from the consumption of botulinum neurotoxins
(BoNTs). Botulism is a rare disease but has a high fatality rate even a
small amount of toxin can kill millions.
Clostridium botulinum causes intoxication i.e, disease occurs either
from ingesting preformed BoNTs in foods or production of BoNTs in
the intestine.
There are seven distinct botulinum toxins (Type A to G) that cause
disease in humans and animals.
The clinical-epidemiological forms of botulism are food-borne
botulism, infant botulism and wound botulism.
Botulinum toxins Type A, B and E are associated with food-borne
botulism in humans.
The lethal dose of BoNTs for humans is 0.2µg to 2µg per kg body
weight.
Botulinum toxin is considered a hazardous biological substance in
the environment.
, Source of Clostridium
botulinum contamination
C. botulinum is anaerobic, spore former, gram-positive bacterium
and its spores are widely distributed in the environment from the
soil to sewage, mud, lakes, sediments of sea and oceans and are
also found in the intestine of land and aquatic animals.
Due to the nature of the bacterium to grow in wide distribution, its
spore can contaminate foods where it colonizes and produces
toxins.
C. botulinum spores contaminating honey and syrup which are the
major source of infant botulism.
Poorly processed canned foods are also the main source of
contamination as the spores can tolerate high heating temperatures
during processing.
Other food sources include various types of lake and sea fishes,
smoked, salt-dried and fermented meat products.
Type A and B BoTNs are also commonly present in soil and
biofertilizers, therefore, they are likely to contaminate vegetables
and fruits.
Improperly cooked vegetable products such as beans, baked
potatoes, corn, celery, mushrooms, onions and olives.
Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin
production
The BoNTs are extracellular proteins produced by C. botulinum that
weighs around 150kDa.
Based on the physiology and phylogenetic of bacteria, BoNTs have
seven distinct serotypes from Type A to H.
All seven toxins are categorized into four groups based on
proteolytic and non-proteolytic activity: Group I, II, III and IV.
Group I proteolytic Type A, B and F can proliferate on temperature
range from 10 to 20°C similarly Group II non-proteolytic Type B, E
and F at 2.5 to 3°C.
