Clostridium Perfringens in Ready to Eat Foods
Unsatisfactory levels of C. perfringens generally occur as a result of temperature abuse where cooked foods are held at warm temperatures (<60 ºC, particularly room temperature) for extended periods of time or cooled (to 5 ºC or below) too slowly.
Foods associated with foodborne illness caused by C. perfringens include joints of meat (especially large and rolled joints) and meat and vegetable dishes such as stews and pies.
The detection of high levels (>1000 cfu per gram) of C. perfringens should result in an investigation of the food handling controls used by the food business. Levels of ≥10000 cfu per gram are considered as potentially hazardous as consumption of foods with this level of contamination may result in food borne illness.
