Effect of Low Temperatures on Growth of Nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum Types B and F and Proteolytic Type G in Crabmeat and Broth

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Abstract
The ability of unheated and heated spores of nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum types B and F, and of the weakly proteolytic type G, to grow and produce toxin in crabmeat and broth at low temperatures was investigated. Sterilized crabmeat or broth was inoculated with 103 spores/g or ml and incubated anaerobically at 4, 8, 12 and 26 C for 180 days. Both heated and unheated spores of all three types grew and produced toxin at 26 C in broth and crabmeat. Types B and F grew in broth at 12, 8 and 4 C when unheated but only at 12 and 8 when heated; they did not grow in crabmeat at any of these temperatures, heated or not. Heated and unheated type G grew at 12 C in both broth and crabmeat but not at lower temperatures.