Survey of the U.S. Gulf Coast for the presence of Clostridium botulinum

High-Pressure Processing for the Production of Added-Value Claw Meat from Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus)

High-pressure processing (HPP) in a large-scale industrial unit was explored as a means for producing added-value claw meat products from edible crab (Cancer pagurus). Quality attributes were comparatively evaluated on the meat extracted from pressurized (300 MPa/2 min, 300 MPa/4 min, 500 MPa/2 min) or cooked (92 °C/15 min) chelipeds (i.e., the limb bearing the claw), before and after a thermal in-pack pasteurization (F₉₀¹⁰ = 10). Satisfactory meat detachment from the shell was achieved due to HPP-induced cold protein denaturation. Compared to cooked or cooked-pasteurized counterparts, pressurized claws showed significantly higher yield (p < 0.05), which was possibly related to higher intra-myofibrillar water as evidenced by relaxometry data, together with lower volatile nitrogen levels. The polyunsaturated fatty acids content was unaffected, whereas the inactivation of total viable psychrotrophic and mesophilic bacteria increased with treatment pressure and time (1.1-1.9 log₁₀ CFU g^-1). Notably, pressurization at 300 MPa for 4 min resulted in meat with no discolorations and, after pasteurization, with high color similarity (ΔE* = 1.2-1.9) to conventionally thermally processed samples. Following further investigations into eating quality and microbiological stability, these HPP conditions could be exploited for producing uncooked ready-to-heat or pasteurized ready-to-eat claw meat products from edible crab.

Clostridium botulinum Type F: Isolation from Crabs

Two proteolytic strains of Clostridium botulinum type F have been isolated from crabs (Callinectes sapidus) from the York River in Virginia. This is the first time proteolytic strains of this type have been isolated in the United States and the first demonstration of the presence of type F on the eastern coast of the United States.

Type A botulism in horses in the United States: a review of the past ten years (1998-2008)

The objective of the current retrospective study was to describe naturally occurring type A botulism in horses in the United States. In the past 10 years, the Botulism Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine has identified 3 isolated cases and 8 outbreaks of type A botulism in horses via samples positive for Clostridium botulinum type A toxin or spores using the mouse bioassay test. Additional information was obtained by review of submission forms and by telephone or email interviews. Almost all type A cases and outbreaks occurred in the western United States, with Oregon and Idaho overrepresented. Type A toxin was identified in only 1 outbreak; all other identified cases and outbreaks were positive for spores but not preformed toxin. Reported clinical signs included progressive muscle weakness, recumbency, decreased tail and/or tongue tone, dysphagia, respiratory distress, and death. Isolated cases involved foals < or =1 month of age; outbreaks involved horses > or =11 months. One hundred and nineteen horses were potentially exposed to the toxin source; 54 out of 119 showed signs of botulism, and 49 out of 54 affected horses were confirmed dead. The number of horses affected per outbreak ranged from 2 to 24. The source of infection was confirmed to be hay or silage in 6 out of 8 outbreaks and was unknown in 2 out of 8 outbreaks. The present report is the first description of outbreaks of type A botulism in horses and has important implications for prevention and treatment. Based on these findings, type A botulism should be considered in suspect cases of equine botulism in the western United States.

Characterization of toxigenic vibrios isolated from the freshwater environment of Hiroshima, Japan

The occurrence and characterization of toxigenic vibrios in surface water and sediment samples of the fresh water environment of the Ohta River were studied. The membrane filter, pad preenrichment technique, followed by the placement of membranes onto thiosulfate citrate-bile salt-sucrose agar, was used for the enumeration of total vibrios. Qualitative examination of pathogenic vibrios was also attempted. In addition, a survey was conducted to determine the incidence of Clostridium botulinum in sediment samples of the Ohta River and the Hiroshima coast. In the identification of 361 strains, 12 species of Vibrio and two species of Listonella were observed. Non-01 Vibrio cholerae was prevalent among the members of the genus Vibrio. Vibrio parahaemolyticus (serotype 04:K34), isolated in fresh water, is significant and suggests that some still unknown conditions promote the survival of these organisms in fresh water. An estimated 132 strains were hemolytic by a simple agar method, and further characterization revealed that 82% of the hemolytic vibrios (107 strains) produced various toxins. About 71% (93 strains) elaborated cytotoxin, 55% (72 strains) produced hemolysin, and 44% (58 strains) responded for both cytotoxin and hemolysin in the crude toxin extracts. All the non-01 V. cholerae showed cytotoxic activity, and the virulent strains of Vibrio fluvialis and Vibrio spp. showed cytotonic responses in RK-13 cells. Of 36 sediment samples tested, 10 harbored C. botulinum spores (28%) and were isolated invariably in all the regions of the Hiroshima coast and in the Ohta River, except the upper region of the Ohta River.

Occurrence and distribution of Vibrio spp., Listonella spp., and Clostridium botulinum in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan

The distribution of Vibrio species in samples of surface water, bottom water (water 2 m above the sediment), and sediment from the Seto Inland Sea was studied. A simple technique using a membrane filter and short preenrichment in alkaline peptone water was developed to resuscitate the injured cells, followed by plating them onto TCBS agar. In addition, a survey was conducted to determine the incidence of Clostridium botulinum in sediment samples. Large populations of heterotrophs were found in surface water, whereas large numbers of total vibrios were found in bottom water. In samples from various water sampling regions, high counts of all bacterial populations were found in the inner regions having little exchange of seawater when compared with those of the open region of the inland sea. In the identification of 463 isolates, 23 Vibrio spp. and 2 Listonella spp. were observed. V. harveyi was prevalent among the members of the Vibrio genus. Vibrio species were categorized into six groups; an estimated 20% of these species were in the so-called "pathogenic to humans" group. In addition, a significant proportion of this group was hemolytic and found in the Bisan Seto region. V. vulnificus, V. fluvialis, and V. cholerae non-O1 predominated in the constricted area of the inland sea, which is eutrophic as a result of riverine influence. It was concluded that salinity indirectly governs the distribution of total vibrios and analysis of variance revealed that all bacterial populations were distributed homogeneously and the variance values were found to be significant in some water sampling regions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Distribution of Clostridium botulinum around fishing areas of the western part of Indonesian waters

A survey was carried out to determine the presence of Clostridium botulinum in samples of sediment and seafoods from the fishing areas of the western part of Indonesian waters. Among the 3,433 samples, 82 (2.4%) were positive for C. botulinum. Type E was not found.

Comparative dose-survival curves of representative Clostridium botulinum type F spores with type A and B spores

Radiation survival data of proteolytic (Walls 8G-F) and non-proteolytic (Eklund 83F) type F spores of Clostridium botulinum were compared with dose-response data of radiation-resistant type A (33A) and B (40B) spores. Strain Eklund 83F was as resistant as strain 33A, whereas strain Walls 8G-F was the most sensitive of the four strains tested. The methods suggested for computing both an initial shoulder and a D value for the dose-survival curves yielded results comparable to the graphic techniques used to obtain these two parameters.

Inhibition of Clostridium botulinum by strains of Clostridium perfringens isolated from soil

Thirty-one soil samples were examined for the presence of organisms capable of inhibiting growth and toxin production of strains of Clostridium botulinum type A. Such organisms were found in eight samples of soil. Inhibiting strains of C. perfringens were found in five samples, of C. sporogenes in three and of Bacillus cereus in three. Three of the C. perfringens strains produced an inhibitor effective on all 11 strains of C. botulinum type A against which they were tested, seven of eight proteolytic type B strains, one nonproteolytic type B strain, five of nine type E strains and all seven type F strains, whether proteolytic or nonproteolytic. They did not inhibit any of 26 type C strains, 6 type D strains, 4 type E strains, or 24 C. sporogenes strains. In mixed culture, an inhibitor strain of C. perfringens repressed growth and toxin production by a C. botulinum type A strain even though it was outnumbered by the latter about 40 times. It also repressed growth and toxin production of C. botulinum in mixed culture of soils in which this latter organism naturally occurred when cooked meat medium but not when trypticase medium was used.

Incidence of Clostridium botulinum in crabmeat from the blue crab

The incidence of Clostridium botulinum in fresh crabmeat of blue crab was six out of 986 samples; in pasteurized crabmeat one sample out of 1,000 contained the organism.

Survival studies with spores of Clostridium botulinum type E in pasteurized meat of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus

Clostridium botulinum type E studies reported in this paper include the incidence of the organism in selected Chesapeake Bay areas, growth and toxin production in crabmeat homogenates, and the effect of pasteurization upon varying levels of spores in crabmeat. Type E spores were detected in 21 of 24 bottom mud samples taken at locations from which blue crabs were being harvested. Sterilized crabmeat homogenates inoculated with as little as five spores per 10 g became toxic after 8 days at 50 F, 2 days at 75 F, and 1 day at 85 F. Growth at 50 F and above was accompanied by gas production and a slightly sour odor. Growth and toxin production at 40 F required 55 days or longer and inocula of 10(3) spores or higher per 10 g of homogenate. At 40 F gas production was usually not apparent and no off odors could be detected. A recommended minimum pasteurization of 1 min at 185 F internal meat temperature reduced type E spore levels in inoculated packs of crabmeat from 10(8) spores per 100 g to 6 or less spores per 100 g, and the pasteurized meat remained nontoxic during 6 months of storage at 40 F.

Clostridium botulinum type F: isolation from venison jerky

A Clostridium botulinum type F was isolated from the venison jerky responsible for the only type F botulism outbreak reported in the United States. The isolate differed from the prototype Langeland type F strain in being nonproteolytic.

Enrichment, isolation, and cultural characteristics of marine strains of Clostridium botulinum type C

Terrestrial strains of Clostridium botulinum type C, designated 468 and 571, were used to screen various media for growth and sporulation at 30 C. Of the various formulations tested, only egg meat medium fortified with 1% additions of yeast extract, ammonium sulfate, and glucose (FEM medium) gave good growth and satisfactory sporulation. FEM medium was used to recover four marine type C isolates from inshore sediments collected along the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific coasts of the United States. The isolation techniques involved repeated transfer of cultures showing type C toxin in FEM medium and purification by a deep tube method. The medium used for purification was beef infusion-agar supplemented with 0.14% sodium bicarbonate and 0.1% l-cysteine hydrochloride. l-Cysteine was adopted in preference to sodium thioglycolate, because some lots of the latter were definitely inhibitory for growth. The addition of bicarbonate markedly increased viable spore counts of both the marine and terrestrial strains. Various cultural and biochemical characteristics of the marine and the terrestrial strains were compared. With the exception of some variations in their fermentation patterns, both groups showed similar characteristics. Of 23 fermentable compounds tested, the terrestrial strains attacked only glucose and mannose. The marine strains fermented glucose, mannose, galactose, and ribose actively; dextrin, inositol, maltose, and melibiose were weakly fermented.

Effects on growth and toxin production of exposure of spores of Clostridium botulinum type F to sublethal doses of gamma irradiation

Spores of the Langeland strain of Clostridium botulinum type F were grown at 30 or 10 C after exposure to 0.0, 0.1, or 0.2 megarad of cesium-137 gamma irradiation. When incubated at 30 C, cultures irradiated at the 0.2-megarad level reached the stationary growth phase 15 hr earlier than the 0.0 or 0.1 megarad-irradiated cultures. This was not the result of earlier or more frequent germination of the irradiated spores, the formation of larger individual cells, filament formation, or cell clumping. It appeared to result from elimination of a lytic phenomenon noted in 0.0 and 0.1 megarad-irradiated cultures after 26 and 29 hr of incubation, respectively, which was followed by a second exponential-growth response 5 hr later in these cultures. The time of toxin appearance in culture supernatant fractions was independent of prior irradiation treatment and occurred after 36 hr of incubation. Toxin release was essentially logarithmic until maximal titers were reached and maximal toxin titers were higher in irradiated than in unirradiated cultures. The higher toxin level was sustained over a period of 23 days of 30 C. Toxin produced in the 30 C cultures could not be trypsin-activated. An incubation temperature of 10 C resulted in no outgrowth of spores subjected to 0.2 megarad of irradiation, although spore germination did occur. At 10 C, outgrowth of the 0.1-megarad culture was faster with slightly higher quantities of a more stable toxin than was seen in the unirradiated control. At 10 C, trypsinization was necessary to demonstrate the toxin present in the cultures.