Some organisms produce toxins that can be ingested in food, causing foodborne disease.
Foodborne Toxin
Response to Heating
Shiga toxin
resistant to pasteurization; can be inactivated by heating to 100°C (boiling) for 5 minutes
Ciguatoxin
heat resistant
Staphylococcal toxins
very heat resistant
Mushroom toxins (includes Amanita phalloides)
Clostridium botulinum
spores are heat resistant; preformed toxin is destroyed by boiling
Clostridium perfringens
Algal toxins (paralytic shellfish, amnesic shellfish, neutrotoxic shellfish, diarrheal shellfish)
For Clostridium species, food containing spores not inactivated by heating can have bacterial proliferation if the food is not carefully refrigerated.
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Specialty: Infectious Diseases
