Bacillus cereus

Method Description

Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming bacterium that causes two distinct types of food poisoning: emetic (vomiting) syndrome associated with rice dishes and diarrheal syndrome from various foods. Testing is important for foods that undergo cooking followed by holding at warm temperatures, as B. cereus spores survive cooking and can germinate during improper storage. The method uses selective media that distinguish B. cereus from other Bacillus species based on characteristic colony morphology and biochemical reactions.