THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM TYPE E IN THE APPLICATION OF RADIATION-PASTEURIZATION PROCESS TO PACIFIC CRAB MEAT AND FLOUNDER

摘要

The incidence of C1 botulinum from Dungeness crab from the area of Ketchikan, Alaska was 57 percent;from Washington, 61-75 percent;from, Oregon, 42-87 percent;and from California, 12-30 percent. The incidence of CJL Botulinum in Dungeness crab was lowest in the California area. However, it was also observed that the bacterial floras from these California samples were much more active in the production of proteolysis enzymes as evidenced by the action on the meat particles and also by the very high alkalinity encountered in the samples after incubation. Therefore, the low incidence of Cl. botulinum as demonstrated by the enrichment technique could in part be attributed to the possible destruction of the toxin by the proteolysis enzymes. This degree of proteolysis observed in the California samples was infrequently observed in the samples taken from Oregon, Washington and Alaska.