Abstract

The aim of this study was to validate the inactivation of Clostridium botulinum toxins in soured soups prepared in the south-south region of Nigeria.  In a preliminary study Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins were detected in soured Ogbono soup, Egusi soup, Okra soup, Vegetable soup, and Fisherman soup. These soups were cooked and allowed to get spoilt and were used for this study. To ascertain the inactivation of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins in the soured soup these parameters were used: effect of temperature on the toxins and the addition of palm oil. To evaluate the effect of temperature, each of the soured soups was heated to 100ºC and held at this temperature for 1 hour. One hundred milliliter (100 ml) of palm oil was added to each of the soured soups and also heated to a temperature of 100ºC for 1 hour to ascertain the effect of palm oil and heat on the toxins. Tests for the neurotoxins were carried out before and after the experiments. The study revealed that Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin was denatured at a temperature of 100ºC. Also, the serological activity of the toxins treated with palm oil was unaffected, whereas, the joint treatment with heat and palm oil remained denatured. It is concluded that heat- treatment at the temperature of 100ºC holding up to 15 minutes can actually inactivate botulinum neurotoxins but the addition of palm oil alone without heat treatment cannot denature botulinum neurotoxin.