Botulinum spores have been found in honey, and the gut of a young child
below the age of one year is not always sufficiently acidic to prevent the
spores from being activated and multiplying.  That is why children under one
year should not be fed honey.  Normally botulism occurs when a non-acidic
food stored under anaerobic conditions has been contaminated so that
botulinum toxin secreted by the bacterium accumulates in the food.  If the
food is heated thoroughly before eating it is harmless since the toxin is
labile to heat.  The human stomach is so acidic that growth of the bacteria
there is impossible.  
With babies it's different.  Their guts may provide a more friendly
environment so that there can be a proliferation of the bacteria there, with
resultant production of the botulinum exotoxin, which can be fatal.

I have never heard corn syrup implicated for carring botulinum spores but am
ready to become enlightened if someone has a reference for that.

Rachel Myr
Kristiansand

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