Clostridium botulinum produces a neurotoxin on foods that when consumed, bring about a serious condition called botulism. It is a potent neurotoxic disease. Botulinal toxin is the most toxic natural substance known.
The organism is the most hazardous spore-forming foodborne pathogen. Presence of spores in foods is not a public health hazard unless they can germinate, outgrow and multiply into toxin producing vegetative cells.
Botulism in adult humans is caused by the consumption of food containing toxin produced by growth of C. botulinum.
There many strains of this organism that depending on the strain, produce one of seven different protein neurotoxins, types A to G and occasionally subtypes and variants.
The only way to prevent foodborne botulism is by preventing neurotoxin production in foods.
The prevention of bacterial foodborne diseases relies in proper handling procedures a of foods, adequate quality and preventive programmes, good sanitation and hygiene, and many other factors.
Botulinal neurotoxin
