Czech J. Food Sci., 2017, 35(3):194-199 | DOI: 10.17221/376/2016-CJFS

Honey Sold Directly by Producers in the Silesian Region of Poland as a Source of Clostridium botulinum Types A, B, E, and FOriginal Paper

Beata Wysok¹, Joanna Wojtacka^{1, *}, Robert Karczmarczyk², Agnieszka Wiszniewska-Łaszczych¹, Małgorzata Gomółka-Pawlicka¹, Joanna Szteyn¹, Katarzyna Liedtke¹

¹ Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, in Olsztyn, Poland

² Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Bird and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland

The level of contamination of honey with Clostridium botulinum spores is considered as an indicator of the adequacy of hygienic practices during collection, extraction, and subsequent processing. A total of 39 honey samples purchased directly from beekeepers at outdoor markets and from small amateur apiaries in Silesia were analysed for Clostridium botulinum spores. The samples were prepared using a dilution centrifugation method and cultured in parallel in cooked meat medium (CMM) and tripticase peptone glucose yeast (TPGY) enrichment broths. Identification of C. botulinum toxin types A, B, E, and F was performed with the use of a multiplex PCR method. The analysis showed six (15.4%) samples to be contaminated with C. botulinum spores. The major serotypes detected were type A - in two (5.1%) and type B - in two (5.1%) honey samples, respectively. Types E and F were found in 1 (2.6%) and 1 (2.6%) positive honey sample analysed, respectively.

Keywords: anaerobic bacteria; bee product; PCR; spores

Published: June 30, 2017  Show citation