Clostridium botulinum

Botulinum toxin extremely potent. Clostridia can form spores = many processed foods are processed based on the need to protect consumers from botulinum outbreaks in food. Different strains within this species produce one of 7 exotoxin types (A,B,C1,D,E,F,G). Types C and D are encoded by lysogenic bacteriophage that infect the bacteria.