Re: [CH] Botulism question.
Cameron Begg (PheasantPlucker@pop-server.columbus.rr.com)
Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:14:12 -0500
Hi C-H's,
This is "one of those topics" isn't it? We've been around a number of times with it and I am sorry for bringing it to the fore again. We are now WAY off topic, but if nobody minds I will try to wrap it up.
Michael: Thanks for chipping in. I understand "hurdle" processing methods because I employ them in my beer making. I have decided that the method I am using has a very low risk because confinement to anaerobic conditions only takes place after pressure sterilizing the stock and boiling water treatment in air for the containers. Freezing is somewhat different. My bet is that very few people could succeed with an anaerobic containment of food in a freezer unless they froze it in the preserving jars. (Which would make recovery of the contents liable to broken glass contamination!) All of these polymer packages - even flavor seal vac. packs - are unable to stop diffusion of air during the storage period. So this is bad news for Clostridium botulinum. Also of course its rate of reproduction would be seriously low at -18C. As I understand the biochem., the bacterium itself is not a danger to humans. The botulinum toxin it produces when actively growing is the killer.
John: Thanks for your advice and also for the sourdough culture. With beermaking I have all the gear for cloning yeast so just a drop'll do it! On topic (WOW!) My sole remaining rocoto is fighting the annual aphid invasion. Any time the temp. gets above freezing I have it outdoors for a soap spray. It will be touch and go again this year judging by the current leaf loss.
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Regards, Cameron.