Which statement about botulism is correct?

Which statement about botulism is correct?

• A. It is caused by a preformed toxin produced in the intestinal tract.
• B. It is caused by ingesting a preformed toxin in contaminated food and can be prevented by boiling food.
• C. It is not preventable by cooking.
• D. It is caused by spores germinating in the stomach.

Answer: (B)

Botulism is driven by a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. In foodborne botulism, illness results from ingesting a preformed toxin that formed in contaminated food. The toxin is heat-labile, so boiling or thoroughly heating the suspect food can inactivate the toxin and prevent disease from that batch. This explains why the statement is correct. The toxin isn’t produced in the stomach, and spores germinate in anaerobic environments found in food or wounds rather than inside the stomach. Cooking can inactivate the toxin, but it doesn’t reliably eliminate spores or prevent all forms of botulism, such as infant or wound botulism.

Botulism is driven by a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. In foodborne botulism, illness results from ingesting a preformed toxin that formed in contaminated food. The toxin is heat-labile, so boiling or thoroughly heating the suspect food can inactivate the toxin and prevent disease from that batch. This explains why the statement is correct. The toxin isn’t produced in the stomach, and spores germinate in anaerobic environments found in food or wounds rather than inside the stomach. Cooking can inactivate the toxin, but it doesn’t reliably eliminate spores or prevent all forms of botulism, such as infant or wound botulism.