Growth and Emetic Toxin Production of Bacillus cereus in Various Foods

Abstract

Production of emetic toxin (cereulide) by Bacillus cereus was quantified in various food sources.
The amount of the emetic toxin in eight of the nine food samples implicated in vomitingtype food poisoning ranged from 0.02 to 1.28μg/g.
The vomiting-type strain, B. cereus NC7401 was inoculated into various foods, and then incubated for 24 hr at 25°C. In farinaceous foods, the production of emetic-toxin was as high as that in the foods sample implicated in food poisoning.
Growth and toxin production was inhibited in the foods cooked with vinegar, mayonnaise and catsup, due to decreased pH or acetic acid.