Heating is a common method of sterilization in microbiology. It is not uncommon to see recommendations to boil water for safety when there is a problem with the water supply. However, boiling the potatoes used in the potato salad was not sufficient to prevent botulism in the outbreak described in the introductory passage. Which of the following is the best explanation for why boiling the potatoes was not sufficient to prevent botulism? a. Botulism food poisoning is caused by an infection with Clostridium botulinum that survives boiling in its vegetative form.
b. Botulism food poisoning is caused by endospores that survive boiling and then begin to grow and produce exotoxins that cause botulism.
c. Botulism food poisoning is caused by endotoxins that are present even after Clostridium botulinum bacteria are killed and that are not removed by boiling.
d. Botulism food poisoning is caused by endospores that survive boiling and then produce endotoxins that cause botulism.