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25.09.2019 - Foods

BfR-statementonBacilluscereusbacteria

On 16.09.19, the BfR (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) published its Opinion No. 035/2019 "Bacillus cereus bacteria in food can cause gastrointestinal diseases".

Due to some closely related species of Bacillus cereus, which are difficult to differentiate from each other, presumptive Bacillus cereus is usually indicated in food investigations, which is equivalent to bacteria from the Bacillus cereus group.

All bacteria of the B. cereus group can form toxins, with varying toxin amounts. These toxins can cause gastrointestinal diseases, expressed through vomiting or diarrhea.

Presumptive B. cereus are ubiquitously present bacteria that form so-called spores. Spores are propagation and survival forms of bacteria that can withstand extreme conditions such as heat or dryness for a long time.

The spores of bacteria from the B. cereus group can, for example, enter food through soil particles or dust, with the initial contamination of food with spores usually being low. However, improper storage can allow spores to germinate and bacteria to multiply in food.

B. cereus grows in a range from 10 to 50°C. It is assumed that in most cases, a germ count of at least 105 CFU/g is required to produce toxin levels in food or the small intestine that can cause gastrointestinal diseases in humans.

Common heat treatments like cooking or pasteurizing will kill the bacterial cells but allow individual spores to survive and germinate. Adequate and rapid cooling (≤7°C) or keeping hot (≥ 65°C) after a heat treatment of food is necessary to prevent the germination of spores and, therefore, the multiplication of bacteria.

You can find more information about presumptive B. cereus in our BAV fact sheet.

In our laboratory, we regularly conduct testing for presumptive B. cereus and other pathogenic microorganisms. We provide you with fast and reliable results. Our customer service representatives are available to answer your questions.

Source: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment - www.bfr.bund.de