Botulism

[IdahoHerbalist]

I was reading a thread on another thread about food preservation and the subject of BOTULISM came up. It was an interesting read (included below) but a couple of comments caught my eye:

Other, but much rarer sources of infection (about every decade in the US[24]) include garlic or herbs[26] stored covered in oil without acidification,[27]

Oils infused with fresh garlic or herbs should be acidified and refrigerated.

We need to be REALLY careful in how we prepare and store our herbs, especially preparations that are not alcohol tinctures. Do not make yourself or others even MORE sick by administering tainted preparations.

This is not the complete article. The rest is found on Wikipedia.

There is a very long and detailed account of the Clostridium Botulinum organism on Wikipedia. I have lifted a short portion for your perusal, but be aware the toxin is rare in commercially canned foods, and a little more likely to appear in home canned foods. The article goes into considerable depth, and is a very good medical article, if you think the knowledge may be useful for you. This portion had the part I was looking for:

Prevention

Although the botulinum toxin is destroyed by thorough cooking over the course of a few minutes,[2] the spore itself is not killed by the temperatures reached with normal sea-level-pressure boiling, leaving it free to grow and again produce the toxin when conditions are right.[21][22]

A recommended prevention measure for infant botulism is to avoid feeding honey to infants less than 12 months of age. In older children and adults the normal intestinal bacteria suppress development of C. botulinum.[23]

While commercially canned goods are required to undergo a “botulinum cook” in a pressure cooker at 121 °C (250 °F) for 3 minutes, and so rarely cause botulism, there have been notable exceptions such as the 1978 Alaskan salmon outbreak and the 2007 Castleberry’s Food Company outbreak. Foodborne botulism is the rarest form though, accounting for only around 15% of cases (US)[24] and has more frequently been from home-canned foods with low acid content, such as carrot juice, asparagus, green beans, beets, and corn. However, outbreaks of botulism have resulted from more unusual sources. In July 2002, fourteen Alaskans ate muktuk (whale meat) from a beached whale, and eight of them developed symptoms of botulism, two of them requiring mechanical ventilation.[25]

Other, but much rarer sources of infection (about every decade in the US[24]) include garlic or herbs[26] stored covered in oil without acidification,[27] chilli peppers,[24] improperly handled baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil,[24] tomatoes,[24] and home-canned or fermented fish.

When canning or preserving food at home pay attention to hygiene, pressure, temperature, refrigeration and storage. When making home preserves bottle only acidic fruit such as apples, pears, stone fruits and berries. Tropical fruit and tomatoes are low in acidity and must have some acidity added before they are bottled[28]

Oils infused with fresh garlic or herbs should be acidified and refrigerated. Potatoes which have been baked while wrapped in aluminum foil should be kept hot until served or refrigerated. Because the botulism toxin is destroyed by high temperatures, home-canned foods are best boiled for 10 minutes before eating.[29] Metal cans containing food in which bacteria, possibly botulinum, are growing may bulge outwards due to gas production from bacterial growth; such cans should be discarded.

Any container of food which has been heat-treated and then assumed to be airtight which shows signs of not being so, e.g., metal cans with pinprick holes from rust or mechanical damage, should also be discarded. Contamination of a canned food solely with C. botulinum may not cause any visual defects (e.g. bulging). Only sufficient thermal processing during production should be used as a food safety control.

Wound botulism can be prevented by promptly seeking medical care for infected wounds, and by avoiding punctures by unsterile things such as needles used for street drug injections. It is currently being researched at USAMRIID under BSL-434.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

The good news is that medicinal infused oils are used topically.

However, lots of people make infused herbal oils for culinary purposes. It’d be a shame to get dead just because you wanted spicy stir fry. 🙁

There was a dairy not long ago where about 100 cows fell over dead suddenly right after breakfast. Turned out there was a dead cat in the feed truck. Botulism is bad for you even if you’re a cow. The bacteria Clostridium botulinum secretes a toxin that stops nerve function and therefore causes muscular paralysis. The cause of death is a paralyzed diaphragm and suffocation. The bug is in the same genus as the ones that causes tetanus and several other really nasty cow diseases…tough family.

Patrick

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[IdahoHerbalist]

Not very smart either – they all have a tendency to KILL THEIR HOST!

[sstolzenburgStudent]

What about glycerin tinctures? Is glycerin as good as alcohol in this respect, or no? my understanding is that it is a good anti bacterial, but? I am not into biology, I am and electronics guy.

[IdahoHerbalist]

Glycerin is a form of alcohol. It is not as pure as grain alcohol though and does not have nearly the same shelf life. It can also become tainted and requires caution when administering.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

sstolzenburg wrote: What about glycerin tinctures? Is glycerin as good as alcohol in this respect, or no? my understanding is that it is a good anti bacterial, but? I am not into biology, I am and electronics guy.

Glycerites can grown bacteria. Be careful not to contaminate the dropper or bottle opening by touching them with hands or mouth. Store in the fridge.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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