A PCR SURVEY OF PSYCHROTROPHIC CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM-LIKE ISOLATES FOR THE PRESENCE OF BONT GENES

Isolates (259) of psychrotrophic Clostridium spp. associated with eith er blown pack spoilage (five isolates) or slaughter stock (254 isolate s) were screened for the presence of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) genes using degenerate PCR primers capable of amplifying A, B, E, F and G B oNT genes. No BoNT gene amplification products were detected using DNA templates from the 259 psychrotrophic isolates, including 249 isolate s that showed the same 16S rRNA gene Restriction Fragment Length Polym orphism (RFLP) patterns as authentic Cl, botulinum type B. It is concl uded that although the growth of such microorganisms in vacuum-packed chilled meat leads to product spoilage, it does not prejudice product safety.