title: Rapid identification of Clostridium botulinum and botulinal toxin in food.
abstract: Samples of green beans and mushrooms were inoculated with a toxigenic strain of Clostridium botulinum type A and incubated anaerobically at 37 degrees C. At various time intervals, the seeded food samples were tested for the presence of botulinal toxin and C. botulinum by an agar plating method and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. C. botulinum type A that appeared as lipase-positive colonies on selective agar plates, and its elaborated toxin, were identified in all seeded food samples within 1 to 2 d. This procedure can be adapted for rapid screening of suspected food samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health at University Park, Miami, Florida 33199, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dezfulian
mesh_terms: D001487:Basidiomycota; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000382:microbiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins