Botulism is caused by ingestion of a proteinaceous exotoxin;therefore,it can easily be prevented by
A)boiling food prior to consumption.
B)administering antibiotics to patients.
C)not eating canned food.
D)preventing fecal contamination of food.
E)filtering food.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Botulism is caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which is heat-labile and can be destroyed by boiling food for at least 10 minutes. Therefore, boiling food prior to consumption is the best choice to prevent botulism. Administering antibiotics to patients is not effective in treating botulism because it is not caused by a bacterial infection. Not eating canned food is not a practical solution since proper canning techniques can prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum spores. Preventing fecal contamination of food and filtering food are important measures for preventing other foodborne illnesses, but they do not specifically prevent botulism.

Botulism Is Caused by Ingestion of a Proteinaceous Exotoxin;therefore,it Can