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Botulism is a very severe type of food poisoning

Botulism is a very severe type of food poisoning – much worse than the E. coli 0157:H7 that has been in the news. An amount of botulism toxin the size of a crystal of salt can kill several people in less than hour.

There are three aspects to botulism: the bacteria, the spores and the toxin. The bacteria's name is Clostridium botulinum. It reproduces by giving off spores, and these spores produce the deadly toxin. The bacteria are found everywhere and are usually present in the soil.

Botulism is caused when an individual has the misfortune of ingesting foods contaminated by the toxin produced by the organism and its spores.

The C. botulinum bacteria can grow in low-acid, oxygen-free environments, and they tend to be a particular problem with improperly processed canned foods, such as vegetables, fish and meats. The toxin is not heat-stable, so food preservation techniques designed to control these bacteria must include a heat treatment.

Botulism toxin can be inactivated when exposed to 180-degree heat for 10 minutes. To eliminate the bacteria takes exposure to 212 degrees for 10 minutes or longer. The spores are more heat-tolerant, requiring a temperature of 240 degrees to destroy them.

The C. botulinum bacteria are inhibited by an acid environment, which is why high-acid foods such as tomatoes, citrus and pickled foods tend to be safer. The bacteria also are thwarted by nitrite preservatives, which is why sodium nitrite is added to cured meats.

For your situation, it would be essential to follow good kitchen hygiene. Scrub all foods before use and avoid any cross-contamination with uncooked foods.

Unused prepared foods should be immediately refrigerated (under 38 degrees) in covered containers, and used within three to five days after preparation. Relying on a system of preparing foods once a week is risky.

You always have the option of heat-treating the foods before use. You might also consider storing the later-in-the-week-portion of your vegetables in the freezer. Toxin production from C. botulinum bacteria is inhibited at freezer temperatures.

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