Determination of C. botulinum Presence in Pollen Samples Collected from Different Regions of Turkey by Real-Time PCR

Abstract

Beekeeping industry is developing day by day in the world and accordingly, there is an increase in the variety of beekeeping products. One of these products is pollen which is the main source of proteins necessary for bees to complete their growth and development and also an excellent functional food ingredient for humans. In this study, it is aimed to determine the presence of Clostridium botulinum and its toxin types in the pollen samples obtained from seven different regions of Turkey. A total of 200 pollen samples collected from Black Sea Region (n:51), Mediterranean Region (n: 32), Central Anatolia (n: 38), Aegean Region (n: 14), Eastern Anatolia (n: 41), Southeastern Anatolia (n:8) and Marmara Region (n:16) were used as material. The conventional method determined by the Food and Drug Administration was used for isolation. Real Time PCR technique was used for identification and determination of toxin types. As a result, C. botulinum was detected only in one (0.5%) of the analyzed samples (supplied from the Black Sea region) and the toxin type was determined as Type A.