Wheat Flour-Bacillus Cereus

Bacillus Cereus food poisoning is a gastrointestinal intoxication caused by toxins produced by the Bacillus Cereus bacteria.

There are two types of toxin, - the Diarrhoeal (causing diarrhoea) and the Emetic (causing vomiting).

Symptoms are: 1) nausea
2) cramplike abdominal pains
3) watery diarrhoea
Which will begin 8 to 16 hours after eating and are related to the lower intestine. Emetic toxin (causes vomiting) the symptoms are more severe and acute and are nausea and vomiting beginning 1 to 6 hours after eating and are related mainly to the upper intestine. The illness occurs when people swallow the bacteria or spores formed by them which then multiply and produce toxin in the intestine, or from eating the toxin already produced in food.

Common sources of infection include:
1) Raw, dried or processed foods such as cereals, cornflower, spices, and other dried foods.
2) Contaminants from the environment including soil, air, dust, water and decaying matter.
3) Animals.
4) Foods such as turkey, beef, seafood, salads, potatoes, rice, noodles, food mixes -(sauces, soups, casseroles), milk powder, various bakery products and desserts especially items with custard and cream.

-The emetic toxin type grow well in rice dishes, mashed potatoes, other starchy foods and vegetable sprouts, while the diarrhoeal toxin type grow in a variety of foods from vegetables and salads to meat and casseroles.

How to reduce the risk?

Bacillus cereus exists in normal bacterial and spore forms in foods.
The normal form can be inactivated by cooking, but most illness is caused by the multiplication of spores during inadequate refrigeration of moist cooked protein foods and rice. Cooking often kills competing bacteria and heat activates the Bacillus cereus spores, storing large masses of cooked food between 4 deg C and 60 deg C can allow the bacteria to multiply.

Preventive measures:
1) Ensure adequate temperatures are reached during cooking to inactivate the bacteria.
2) Keeping cooked hot foods above 60 deg C (preferably 70 deg C) if not served immediately.
3) Ensure rapid cooling of cooked food by dividing into smaller lots and refrigerating in shallow containers (less than 10cm deep).
4) Storing cold foods at or below 4 deg C to prevent toxin being produced.
5) Avoid storing protein-containing foods with cooked rice because this stimulates the growth of Bacillus cereus.
6) Reheating foods to 75 deg C or until steaming hot, as flash frying or brief rewarming is not adequate to destroy the toxin.
7) Preventing cross-contamination from raw to cooked foods (by using separate preparation areas or sanitising between processes).
8) Thoroughly washing fruit and vegetables with clean water of drinking standard before use.
9) Ensuring food handlers have good personal hygiene and adequate food safety training.

With reference from: www.ccc.govt.nz/Health/cereus.asp retrieved on 07/05/07.