There was no need for the panic, or the graphic description of gastric symptoms.
It takes a few hours to a few days for botulism symptoms to begin so (assuming it was possible to contract botulism in the way shown in the first place) there was plenty of time to begin treatment with a presumptive diagnosis and test for botulinum without risking any lives.
Also botulism causes paralysis, vomiting and bowel issues aren't the primary or most common symptoms, and they aren't fatal. (They're also signs of regular food poisoning, so not a lot of use in identifying botulism.) The important symptoms are the early signs of paralysis, which start in the head and move down the body. Eyelids droop, facial muscles go slack, speech is slurred, swallowing and breathing become difficult.
Botulin is actually the toxin produced by clostridium botulinum bacteria when deprived of oxygen, eg. in a tin or vacuum packed food, or when ingested.
What was used to contaminate the meat was botulinum bacteria.
Botulism is killed by cooking.
3 minutes at 121 degrees centigrade is enough to make it harmless, so the only real risk was to people eating the meat raw and that's always risky.
Undercover police officers are under no circumstances allowed to have a sexual relationship a member of the group under investigation.
An undercover operation certainly wouldn't be planned with an officer positioning themselves as a romantic partner.
Correction: In 2010 and 2011, UK media revealed that some undercover officers had entered into intimate relationships with members of targeted groups as part of their "false persona".
Correction: In 2010 and 2011, UK media revealed that some undercover officers had entered into intimate relationships with members of targeted groups as part of their "false persona".