biology help?

What caused the poisoned mushrooms?

Evolution? They are protecting themselves from being eaten.

How deadly is this poison?

Some mushrooms like some amanita produce amatoxins. A bite can be fatal. How dangerous it is depends on the dose but that toxin damages the liver even at a lower dose than the fatal dose.

Why was it good for man to preserve food?

It protects him from times of famine or no food.

What are the conditions for this poison to be formed?

Why can bacteria not grow in our bodies?

The certainly can at times. Our intestines are loaded with them and we probably couldn't live without them. We do have an immune system that kills most unwanted bacteria.

What do we mean if we say something is heat resistant?

Heat doesn't destroy it or in the case of lifeforms the heat doesn't kill it.

Why does heat not always kill these bacteria?

Some bacteria form cysts that can be very heat resistant. Boiling alone doesn't kill all of them. That is why they use an autoclave to sterilize hospital cloths and other items.

https://tuttnauer.com/autoclave

What can destroy the spores?

Heat from an autoclave. Not much else can.

What foods best support these botulism producing bacteria?

Botulism can grow on most any organic matter either plant or animal. It requires the lack of oxygen to grow. Often they add some kind of acid to prevent it growing in canning. Anything with any significant moisture and normal pH can get botulism if kept in oxygen free place like a sealed jar. Other bacteria eventually use the oxygen up in a jar and the botulism bacteria can grow.

Why is boiling a good way to prevent you being poisoned?

It isn't a good way to prevent botulism from eventually forming if you plan on canning something. It does kill all the active bacteria, non cyst or spore bacteria. It also destroys much of their toxins. That doesn't include amatoxins from some mushrooms which are unaffected by cooking.

What are the basic signs of spoilage?

Foul smell, sliminess, discoloration...

How does botulism affect a person? Be specific.

"It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon endings at the neuromuscular junction and thus causes flaccid paralysis."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botulinum_toxin

"Botulinum is the most acutely lethal toxin known, with an estimated human median lethal dose (LD50) of 1.3–2.1 ng/kg intravenously or intramuscularly and 10–13 ng/kg when inhaled.["

What is the treatment for botulism?

"Botulinum antitoxin is available and may be used to prevent the worsening of symptoms, though it will not reverse existing nerve damage"

How does the FDA help when spoiled food is found?

Recall the affected products and try to stop the source.