Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium botulinum
Botulinum toxin is considered the most powerful poison to date. Botulinum toxin A is the most active. The lethal dose in an adult male is estimated at 70 μg orally. In general, the single ingestion of a few grams of food containing botulinum toxin is sufficient to trigger botulism. In a newborn or young child, the ingestion of ten to a hundred spores is capable of causing toxic infection, i.e. the quantity of spores that could be contained in a few mg of a food such as honey or a few dust. Food raw materials are contaminated with neurotoxigenic Clostridium bacteria/spores from the environment. Certain foods can be contaminated through spices or condiments (pepper, garlic, etc.). The conditions of preparation and storage of foodstuffs then determine possible germination of spores, growth of bacteria as well as toxinogenesis. The presence of botulinum toxin in low-acid manufactured foods is often due to a lack of control of the canning process (in particular cooking/sterilization temperature, pH, aw, recontamination after heat treatment). Botulinum toxin is stable in foods over a long period of time. Foods at risk for the consumer are preserved foods with low acidity.
Choose the wrong answers:
1- Botulinum toxin is not considered a poison.
2- orally, a dose of 70 is considered a lethal dose
3- Botulism does not occur directly following the ingestion of a few grams of food containing botulinum toxin.
4- All foods are contaminated through spices or condiments.
5- The presence of botulinum toxin in low-acid manufactured foods is linked only to pH and sterilization
Translate what follow into French
Translate what follow into French
In general, the single ingestion of a few grams of food containing botulinum toxin is sufficient to trigger botulism.