What is Clostridium Botulinum? What’s the does Clostridium Botulinum have to do with Canned Food? What are the effects and symptoms that will be experienced if infected by Clostridium Botulinum? How to identify if the canned food that we are going to consume is safe from Clostridium Botulinum? Let’s Find Out!
What is Clostridium Botulinum?
Clostridium Botulinum is a bacterium that can produce toxins in food, wounds, and the intestines that attack the nervous system. The disease caused by the Clostridium botulinum is called botulism.
Clostridium Botulinum can be found in dust, soil, rivers, or the seabed. This bacterium is harmless under normal environmental conditions, but Clostridium Botulinum can release its toxins if it is in an oxygen-starved environment. For example, when in closed cans, bottles, in the human body, mud and soil that does not move.
Symptoms of Botulism
Although Botulism is a very rare disease, it is a serious disease that is very dangerous and deadly. Symptoms of Clostridium Botulinum poisoning will occur 18 to 36 hours after the poison enters the body.
Botulism attacks the nervous system and can cause disorders of the muscles, respiratory and digestive systems. Botulism can cause death if not treated promptly.
Symptoms of botulism that occur due to food poisoning are:
• Difficulty swallowing and speaking
• Dry mouth
• Weak facial muscles
• Visual impairment
• Weak eyelids (drooping)
• Difficulty breathing
• Nauseous
• Vomit
• Stomach cramps
• Paralysed
Clostridium Botulinum and Canned Food
Where other bacteria cannot thrive in an oxygen-starved environment, Clostridium Botulinum bacteria thrive and release its toxins when under oxygen-deprived and under acidic conditions.
This condition puts canned food at risk of being infected by Clostridium Botulinum.
It is recommended not to consume or try any canned food that has the following conditions:
- Leaking, bulging, or badly dented cans
- Canned food with a foul odor
- Cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids
- Any container that spurts liquid or foam when opened
How to prevent Clostridium Botulinum‘s contamination
How to prevent Clostridium Botulinum‘s contamination, here are the recommendations:
Tips for consumers:
- Store canned foods at the right temperature
- Consume immediately after the can opened
- Don’t eat food whose packing has been damaged (for example : dents, leaks)
Tips for food manufacturers:
- Do a Clostridium Botulinum test before the product go to market
- Regularly do food tests before going to market
How to test Clostridium Botulinum on Food?
For those of you who want to test IF the Clostridium Botulinum contained in the food or food products that you produce, it is recommended to first do Clostridium Botulinum microbiology testing in an accredited laboratory.
PT. Seafood Inspection Laboratory has been accredited by KAN ISO 17025 as a professional and experienced testing laboratory, able to provide qualitative Clostridium Botulinum microbiology testing services on food samples using the Real Time PCR (qPCR) method.
The test will take 5-7 days to finish. We will issue a Certificate of Analysis to show you the result of the test. The COA can be use as part of requirements for you if you would like to import your canned food products.
Let’s test your product! We will help you to identify the safety of your product, whether your product is safe or infected with Clostridium Botulinum bacteria. Come Prove it!
Read also : Microbiology Testing Service – Food Laboratory Based in Bali – Indonesia
(baliseafoodlab.com)
