Clostridium perfringens food poisoning is caused by consuming foods containing large numbers of those Clostridium perfringens bacteria capable of producing the food poisoning toxin.
Soil, sewage and digestive tracts of humans and animals are some of the ecological niches of Clostridium perfringens. Clostridium perfringens is classified as an anaerobe, occasionally oxygen tolerant, gram positive, rod shaped bacteria that is capable of forming endospores.
The toxin is usually produced ion the digestive tract and is associated with sporulation. The enterotoxin appears to be released in vivo in the intestine by the sporulating organism.
Although the enterotoxin is generally not performed in the food, the foods in which conditions are favorable for sporulation may contain enterotoxin.
Perfringens food poisoning is frequently associated with food service operations. In most instances the actual cause of poisoning by Clostridium perfringens is temperature abuse of prepared foods, such as large poultry or cooked cuts of meat and gravies and sauces prepared in large containers that can provide anaerobic conditions.
Reheated meat dishes are also frequently a cause of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning since the spore it forms will survive each reheating process.
Subsequent temperature abuse by not keeping cooked foods above 60 C or not providing rapid, even cooling to refrigeration temperature may permit the organism to multiply to food poisoning levels.
The spores of Clostridium perfringens are not destroyed by normal cooking methods. They can withstand boiling, steaming, stewing or braising for up to four hours.
Clostridium perfringens
