Food News

AESAN has published a report assessing the risk of botulism associated with the consumption of vacuum-packed or modified atmosphere-packed foods.

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has published a report prepared by its Scientific Committee that evaluates the risk of botulism associated with the consumption of vacuum-packed or modified atmosphere-packed foods.

Botulism is a serious, although rare, disease caused by the ingestion of neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum. The main factors that influence the survival of Clostridium botulinum in foods are:

• Presence of oxygen: C. botulinum is an anaerobic bacteria, so its growth is favoured in environments without oxygen.
• pH: A pH lower than 4.6 inhibits the growth of the bacteria.
• Water activity: Low A_w values ​​limit bacterial proliferation.
• Temperature: Proteolytic strains of C. botulinum cannot grow at temperatures below 10°C, while non-proteolytic strains can do so at temperatures above 3.3°C.
• Preservatives: The presence of certain preservatives can inhibit bacterial growth.

The main conclusions presented in the report are:

• Sterilized foods (canned goods): The heat treatment applied is sufficient to inactivate C. botulinum spores, guaranteeing the safety of the product provided there are no flaws in processing or packaging.
• V-range foods: These foods, which are cooked, packaged, subjected to a light pasteurization treatment and ready to be consumed after prior heating, are especially vulnerable. If they are refrigerated and vacuum-packed or in modified atmospheres, and depending on their composition, they can allow the growth of C. botulinum at temperatures above 3.3°C, with the consequent development of botulinum toxin that will not be inactivated during heating prior to consumption.

The report includes some recommendations for risk control:

• Adequate heat treatment: Sterilization is the main control measure to inactivate C. botulinum spores.
• Food formulation: Adjust parameters such as pH, water activity, and salt concentration or antimicrobial agents to prevent the development of bacteria.
• ​​Storage control: Maintain strict monitoring of storage time and temperature, ideally below 3.3°C.
• Good hygiene practices: Ensure hygiene during the manufacturing process to prevent contamination.
• Consumer instructions: Faithfully follow the storage and consumption instructions provided by the manufacturer.

It is essential that both producers and consumers are aware of these factors and recommendations to minimize the risk of botulism associated with the consumption of vacuum-packed or modified atmosphere-packed foods.

YOUR PLUS: The food laboratories of AGROLAB GROUP analyse the presence of Clostridium botulinum in foods, as well as other factors such as pH, Aw, preservatives, etc. that allow product monitoring.

Author: Dra. Isabel Gómez, AGROLAB Ibérica