Editing Clostridium botulinum (section)

==Growth conditions and prevention==
{{See also|Botulism#Prevention}}

''C. botulinum'' is a soil bacterium. The spores can survive in most environments and are very hard to kill. They can survive the temperature of boiling water at sea level, thus many foods are canned with a pressurized boil that achieves even higher temperatures, sufficient to kill the spores.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-06 |title=Prevent Botulism |url=https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/consumer.html |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Botulism: take care when canning low-acid foods |url=https://extension.umn.edu/sanitation-and-illness/botulism |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=extension.umn.edu |language=en}}</ref> This bacteria is widely distributed in nature and can be assumed to be present on all food surfaces. Its optimum growth temperature is within the [[Mesophile|mesophilic]] range. In spore form, it is a heat resistant pathogen that can survive in low acid foods and grow to produce toxins. The toxin attacks the nervous system and will kill an adult at a dose of around 75&nbsp;ng.<ref name="Fleming Biological Safety">{{cite book |title=Biological Safety: principles and practices |vauthors=Fleming DO |publisher=ASM Press |volume=2000 |page=267}}</ref> Botulinum toxin can be destroyed by holding food at 100&nbsp;°C for 10 minutes; however, because of its potency, this is not recommended by the USA's FDA as a means of control.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chapter 13: Clostridium botulinum Toxin Formation |url=https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Fish-and-Fishery-Products-Hazards-and-Controls-Guidance-Chapter-13-Download.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208183813/https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Fish-and-Fishery-Products-Hazards-and-Controls-Guidance-Chapter-13-Download.pdf |archive-date=2021-02-08 |access-date=18 March 2022 |website=Fda.gov}}</ref>

Botulism poisoning can occur due to preserved or home-canned, low-acid food that was not processed using correct preservation times and/or pressure.<ref>{{cite web |title=Home Canning and Botulism |url=https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/home-canning-and-botulism.html#:~:text=Pressure%20canning%20is%20the%20only,meats%2C%20fish%2C%20and%20seafood |access-date=14 April 2021 |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}}</ref> Growth of the bacterium can be prevented by high [[acidity]], high ratio of dissolved [[sugar]], high levels of oxygen, very low levels of moisture, or storage at temperatures below 3&nbsp;°C (38&nbsp;°F) for type A. For example, in a low-acid, canned vegetable such as [[green bean]]s that are not heated enough to kill the spores (i.e., a pressurized environment) may provide an oxygen-free medium for the spores to grow and produce the toxin. However, pickles are sufficiently acidic to prevent growth;<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ito KA, Chen JK, Lerke PA, Seeger ML, Unverferth JA | title = Effect of acid and salt concentration in fresh-pack pickles on the growth of Clostridium botulinum spores | journal = Applied and Environmental Microbiology | volume = 32 | issue = 1 | pages = 121–124 | date = July 1976 | pmid = 9898 | pmc = 170016 | doi = 10.1128/aem.32.1.121-124.1976 | bibcode = 1976ApEnM..32..121I }}</ref> even if the spores are present, they pose no danger to the consumer.

[[Honey]], [[corn syrup]], and other sweeteners may contain spores, but the spores cannot grow in a highly concentrated sugar solution; however, when a sweetener is diluted in the low-oxygen, low-acid digestive system of an infant, the spores can grow and produce toxin. As soon as infants begin eating solid food, the digestive juices become too acidic for the bacterium to grow.<ref>{{cite web |title=Botulism |url=https://www.lecturio.com/concepts/botulism/ |access-date=5 July 2021 |website=The Lecturio Medical Concept Library}}</ref>

The control of food-borne botulism caused by ''C. botulinum'' is based almost entirely on thermal destruction (heating) of the spores or inhibiting spore germination into bacteria and allowing cells to grow and produce toxins in foods. Conditions conducive of growth are dependent on various [[Bacterial growth#Environmental conditions|environmental factors]].
Growth of ''C. botulinum'' is a risk in low acid foods as defined by having a pH above 4.6<ref>{{cite web |title=Guidance for Commercial Processors of Acidified & Low-Acid Canned Foods |url=https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/AcidifiedLACF/default.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324105106/http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/AcidifiedLACF/default.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 24, 2013 |access-date=8 October 2016 |publisher=U.S. Food and Drug Administration}}</ref> although growth is significantly retarded for pH below 4.9.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Odlaug TE, Pflug IJ | title = Clostridium botulinum growth and toxin production in tomato juice containing Aspergillus gracilis | journal = Applied and Environmental Microbiology | volume = 37 | issue = 3 | pages = 496–504 | date = March 1979 | pmid = 36843 | pmc = 243244 | doi = 10.1128/aem.37.3.496-504.1979 | bibcode = 1979ApEnM..37..496O }}</ref>