Clostridium botulinum

Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic, rod-shaped spore forming bacterium that produces a protein with characteristic neurotoxicity. Under certain conditions, these organisms may grow in foods producing toxin(s)..... Botulism, a severe form of food poisoning results when the toxin-containing foods are ingested. Measures to prevent botulism include reduction of the microbial contamination level, acidification, reduction of moisture level, and whenever possible, destruction of all botulinal spores in the food. Heat processing is the most common method of destruction. Properly processed canned foods will not contain viable C. botulinum. Home-canned foods are more often a source of botulism than are commercially canned foods, which probably reflects the commercial canners' great awareness and better control of the required heat treatment.