SURVIVAL OF CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM SPORES.

Radiation survival curves of spores of Clostridium botulinum strain 33A exhibited an exponential reduction which accounted for most of the population, followed by a "tail" comprising a very small residual number [7 to 0.7 spore(s) per ml] which resisted death in the range between 3.0 and 9.

RADIATION STERILIZATION OF BACON FOR MILITARY FEEDING.

Sliced, cured bacon, packed in cans and seeded with 6 x 10(5) spores per can of Clostridium botulinum strains 33A or 41B, or with 3 x 10(6) spores per can of strains 36A, 12885A, 9B, or 53B, was irradiated to various dose levels with gamma radiation. Evidence provided by swelling, toxicity, and recoverable C. botulinum with 2,200 inoculated, irradiated cans demonstrated that: (i) 4.