Bacillus cereus
From Freepedia
| Bacillus cereus | ||||||||||||||
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| Bacillus cereus Frankland & Frankland, 1887 |
Bacillus cereus is a bacterium that causes foodborne illness, and is particularly noted for doing so in rice. The bacteria are facultative aerobes, and like other members of the genus Bacillus can produce protective endospores. B. cereus that have contaminated rice reproduce during high-temperature cooking, and form spores when it cools. On rewarming, the spores germinate, and when eaten can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. This can be prevented by proper food handling techniques.
