Abstract: Clostridium botulinum is a typical saprophyte and has been found one of the pathogens leading to serious foodpoisoning. In incompletely sterilized or polluted tins, sausages and bean products it grows and multiplies well in anaerobiccondition with the production of exotoxin, which is stable in quality and regarded to be the most powerful chemical poisons. Theminimum lethal dose of the exotoxin to man is about 0.0000001g. However, clostridium botulinum cannot grow or multiply inthe intestines of man or domestic animals.

Key words: Clostridium botulinum, food poisoning