Heat-stable bacterial toxin analysis

Supporting batch release of safe products through analysis of heat-resistant bacterial toxins 

While heat treatment during processing kills many bacteria, others – especially spore formers – can create dangerous, heat-stable toxins that pose a health risk to your consumers. ‘Super heat resistant’ toxins such as cereulide from Bacillus cereus can cause food poisoning, and its presence in your product prevents batch release, costing you money and putting your brand at risk. But there are also other, less well-known heat stable toxins that can cause food poisoning: such as lichenysin from Bacillus licheniformis and surfactin from Bacillus subtilis. 

In-house methods for isolating cereulide, lichenysin and surfactin  

NIZO offers in-house methods for detecting and quantifying cereulide, lichenysin and surfactin. Combined with our microbial predictive models, we can help you to quickly evaluate the risk of survival, growth and toxin production during manufacturing, and in your finished product throughout its shelf life. These methods give you the insight you need for safe, structural batch release. 

NIZO can:  

• Detect and quantify cereulide, lichenysin and surfactin levels
• Evaluate the risk of toxin production both during manufacturing and your products shelf life 
• Provide insight to enable structural batch release