Bacillus cereus is a gram-positive, facultatively aerobic spore-former whose cells are large rods and spores do not swell the sporangium. These and other characteristics, including biochemical features, are used to differentiate and confirm the presence of B. cereus. These characteristics are shared with B. cereus var. mycoides, B. thuringiensis and B. anthracis. B. cereus food poisoning is the general description, although two recognized types of illness are caused by two distinct metabolites. All people are believed to be susceptible to B. cereus food poisoning.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Tested by Kansas State University