[Detection of Clostridium botulinum spores in honey].
A total of 177 honey samples were examined for Clostridium botulinum, 68 of which were from commercial origin, 8 from small rural producers for family consumption, and the remaining 6 from fractionizing centers in Mendoza and San Luis provinces in Argentina. C. botulinum type A was detected in two samples of rural producer origin (1.1%) by the centrifugation-dilution method. The strain was recovered from one of the samples, obtaining a spore count of 55/g of honey. Even though the positive percentage was lower than that found in other countries, honey consumption by children under one year old should be avoided in order to prevent infant botulism.
de Centorbi
O P
OP
Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Argentina.
Satorres
S E
SE
Alcaraz
L E
LE
Centorbi
H J
HJ
Fernández
R
R
D001118:Argentina; D001906:Botulism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005506:Food Contamination; D006722:Honey / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification