Summary
Ten strains of Clostridium botulinum (5 type A and 5 type B) were combined and tested for their ability to produce toxin in modified reinforced clostridial medium, pH 5.7, under different amounts of pressure of carbon dioxide at 30° C. At atmospheric pressure (101 kPa), 100% CO2 delayed toxin production when compared with an atmosphere of 100% N2. Increasing the pressure level of CO2 further delayed the onset of toxin production; however, CO2 at 891 kPa absolute did not totally inhibit production of toxin, as two of 10 samples became toxic between 4 and 8 weeks of incubation. Pressurized CO2 was lethal to C. botulinum, with the rate of decrease of recoverable colony-forming units being dependent on the amount of pressure of CO2 and the length of exposure. However, CO2 at 816 kPa absolute did not serve as a fully protective antibotulinal agent as some of the surviving spores were capable of germination and producing toxin within 8 weeks at 30° C.
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Doyle, M.P. Effect of carbon dioxide on toxin production by Clostridium botulinum . European J. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 17, 53–56 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00510572
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00510572