What is foodborne botulism or Clostridium botulinum? Foodborne
botulism is a disease (actually a foodborne intoxication) caused
by toxins produced by the growth of the baterium Clostridium
botulinum. Foodborne botulism is a severe type of food poisoning
caused by the ingestion of foods containing a potent toxin that
affects the nervous sytem. The toxin can be destroyed if food is
boiled (212° F or 100°C) for 10 minutes or longer. Although the
incidence of the disease is low, the mortality rate is high if
the patient is not treated immediately and properly. Onset of
symptoms usually occurs 18 to 36 hours after ingestion of the
food containing the toxin, although onset has varied from 4
hours to 8 days. Most of the 10 to 30 outbreaks reported
annually in the United States are associated with inadequately
processed, home-canned foods, but occasionally commercially
produced foods have been involved in outbreaks. Sausages, meat
products, canned vegetables and seafood products are the most
frequent vehicles for foo