Final answer:
True, low acid canned foods are more rigorously regulated to prevent botulism, caused by C. botulinum. Sterilization protocols have greatly reduced the incidence of botulism, with additional safety recommendations in place for home canning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that low acid canned foods are more highly regulated than acidified foods because of the threat of C. botulinum is true. The anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum is responsible for the potentially fatal disease botulism. Low acid foods provide a suitable environment for this bacteria to grow if not properly sterilized.
Commercial sterilization protocols for these foods are designed rigorously to prevent the growth of C. botulinum by assuming an extremely high number of endospores and aiming to reduce them significantly to ensure safety. The process involves heating the food to temperatures high enough to destroy these pathogenic endospores, such as 121 °C for at least 2.52 minutes.
Over time, due to better sterilization and canning procedures, the incidence of botulism has reduced. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends additional measures, such as boiling home-canned foods before consumption, to ensure safety.