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Food borne botulism is caused my consuming a food that has been contaminated by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum can be found in soil. The bacteria are rod-shaped and grow best in low oxygen conditions because they are anaerobic. The bacteria form spores which allow them to survive in a dormant state until exposed to conditions that can support their growth. The bacteria also produce a deadly toxin. The toxin does not give a bad odor or taste to food so people do not realize they have consumed spoiled food. The highest cases of food borne botulism occur due to consuming improperly processed home-canned foods or home-preserved meats. Symptoms of muscle paralysis caused by botulinum toxin are blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. These symptoms may progress to cause paralysis of the respiratory muscles, arms, legs, and trunk; wh8ich will ultimately lead to death due to respiratory failure. In food borne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as 6 hours or as late as 10 days.
During World War II, the U.S. began looking into using botulinum toxin as a biological toxin. The nerve toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is considered to be one of the deadliest substances in the world. As little as 1 ng/kg of the toxin can be lethal to an individual. Scientists have estimated that about 1 gram could potentially kill 1 million people. A small amount of this toxin is capable of killing a large number of people, for this reason the toxin became a candidate for use as a weapon in biowarfare. The plan was to have Chinese prostitutes slip tiny toxic pills into the food and drinks of high-ranking Japanese officers. According to an article in Clinical Medicine a batch of gelatin capsules filled with botulinum toxin was produced, but the project was abandoned before the plan was put into action.