Abstract
Honey has served as a vehicle of Clostridium botulinum spores in infant botulism. The present study was designed to find the stability of the spores in honey during storage at different temperatures. When honey samples containing 104/g of type A (62A) or type B (Okra) spores were stored at 4°C, the spore population did not change over a year. At 25°C, however, the spores decreased in number gradually after 100 days. Only 1% of type A and none of type B spores were detected after 400 days of storage. None of such physico-chemical treatments as heat shock, sonication and treatment with detergent, enzyme, alcohol, acid and alkaline had significant effect on the botulinum spore population. Neither type A nor type B spores were detected after 5 days of storage at 65°C. Type B seemed to be more sensitive than type A spores. At this temperature, the honey deteriorated slightly in terms of hydroxymethyl furfural and diastase number. It is not known whether the decrease in the spore count was due to the death or failure in germination of the spores. At any rate, a long-term storage at 25°C or mild heating at 65°C for about 5 days may eliminate or at least to reduce C. botulinum spores in honey.
