Enterotoxins

Bacterial toxins, such as cholera toxin, that disturb the gastrointestinal tract when ingested or produced by microorganisms within it, with diarrhoea the classic symptom. Staphylococcal enterotoxins in foods are a leading cause of food poisoning, and they survive cooking temperatures that kill the bacteria. Staphylococcal enterotoxins A–E are heat-stable proteins that survive boiling, so reheating contaminated food does not make it safe — prevention through temperature control and handler hygiene is the only defence. Detection uses ELISA or PCR for toxin genes, and outbreaks are traced to temperature-abused protein foods such as ham, custards and cream-filled pastries.