Inhibition of nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum with lactic acid bacteria and their bacteriocins at refrigeration temperatures.

Nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum (strains 17B, Beluga, and 202F) was found to be inhibited by Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, and Pediococcus species in tests by the spot-on-the-lawn simultaneous-antagonism method at 10, 15, and 25 degrees C. C. botulinum 17B was the most resistant strain. Inhibition zone size increased with decreasing incubation temperature. Six strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus and seven strains of bifidobacteria failed to produce an inhibition zone on buffered reinforced clostridium Prussian blue agar seeded with spores of any of the selected C. botulinum strains. C. botulinum 17B was sensitive to 50 to 100 IU of nisin per ml and to 10 to 20 AU of pediocin A per ml.