Nine canneries and eight labeling operations, located across the United States, were surveyed for mesophilic anaerobic spores including Clostridium botulinum . Particular attention was given to processing and cooling water, surfaces of processing equipment, and post-processing can handling operations. Of the 571 samples that were cultured, about 33% yielded viable spores of mesophilic anaerobic bacteria. None, however, contained C. botulinum .