Botulism is a rare but very dangerous disease caused by a toxin made primarily by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria, though it can also be made by the Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii bacteria. Botulism is usually regarded as a foodborne illness because one of the most common ways the spores can grow and produce the toxin is in canned, preserved or fermented foods, particularly if they are home-canned or preserved, or if the can is dented or damaged. Foods with low acidity where the bacteria are more likely to grow include asparagus, green beans, beets, corn and potatoes.
However, foodborne botulism is only one of the five main types of botulism. The other four are infant botulism (often caused by honey, which contains the bacteria that can produce the spores, or honey pacifiers), wound botulism, iatrogenic botulism (such as that caused by botox), and adult intestinal toxemia. Because the toxin that causes botulism is so deadly, it’s among the threats that could be used in bioterrorism.