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Questions tagged [botulism]

56 questions
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8 answers

How long is garlic butter safe, and why is it not a botulism risk like garlic in oil?

I've been making garlic butter for years, storing it for months at a time. When I read that garlic-in-oil can grow dangerous amounts of botulinum toxins after similar lengths of time, I wondered how safe garlic butter is and why. Evidently, the…
FvD
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2 answers

Why must fermenting meat be kept cold, but not vegetables?

This is a somewhat unique question, so I'll start by stating my assumptions that I understand to be "widely known" among food preservation enthusiasts. If any of these are not accurate, please let me know! Assumptions: Improperly handled food kept…
Ben Hershey
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1 answer

Are the claims legitimate linking botulism to vacuum prepared foods?

I have read in many places 1,2,3 claims of a link between preparing foods sous vide and botulism, with claims that this is because the food is prepared in a vacuum. This struck me as illogical, so I looked around online and could find no solid…
Jeff Axelrod
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Botulism risk with refrigerated items

Is there any risk of botulism from refrigerator pickling or brining? (referring to both meat and slices of vegetables/fruit) I've read about the subject a fair bit, and know the inherent risks with garlic in oil or items vacuum packed in the fridge…
matt
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13
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3 answers

How to make garlic oil in a safe way...tomorrow

I am planning on making some garlic oil for a friend of mine as a birthday present. Her birthday is tomorrow, so this question is a bit urgent. I've read a few of the posts that indicate that botulism is a real risk when doing this. Is there a way…
mlissner
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1 answer

Is it safe to add garlic powder to sesame oil?

I am making a Korean BBQ meat marinade sauce that requires 0.5 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. I read that garlic combined with oil causes botulism. However, cannot find anything about garlic powder. Would garlic powder be at…
Botad
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How can I reassure myself a given food is not a botulism risk?

Ever since a man has died (in my country) because of eating home-made ham contaminated with botulism, I'm really concerned about it and I see risks everywhere. I have 2 questions related to it, and I hope someone can enlighten me. Assuming I'm…
dani00
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Are chilies in olive oil dangerous?

In Portugal, chilies in olive oil are a very typical form of spicy sauce, in both commercial and artisan forms. Different types, amounts, and mixes of chillies result in different flavours and it can be very nice. However, I worry about botulism. I…
luispedro
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How long does it take botulism spores to germinate in the fridge?

Based on this question, I started wondering how long I could keep an anerobic food in the fridge before I have to worry about botulism colonization. 1 day? 3 days? 2 months? Clearly it's not a short period of time (hours) or we'd all be dying of…
FuzzyChef
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What is the sous vide botulism risk if storing meat post-cooking at home?

So I understand that cooking sous vide has a potentially high risk of botulism due to the anaerobic environment (vacuum). As such, you need to be careful with time and temp combinations. If you are storing food for service later, you need to flash…
yossarian
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Why is a pressure canner needed when canning?

I keep reading the same tip, when it comes to preserves, which essentially is: Botulism spores can survive 100°C and require hotter than boiling water temperature. Source:…
user1721135
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Botulism from *uncooked* potatoes wrapped in foil?

Recently I've seen uncooked, prewrapped-in-foil potatoes at the store, meant for baking. But I've always read that keeping potatoes wrapped tightly in foil at room temperature is one of the ways that botulism can occur. Is this a safe product? Is it…
psquee
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Can you save canning jars after you've realized they've been improperly sealed for a month?

My family decided to can pasta sauce, salsa and whole tomatoes about a month ago. A few days ago I was talking with a friend about how we canned our sauces, and they told me it wasn't safe and that we didn't boil or sanitize enough. I'm worried…
Linny
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What is the lowest temperature at which botulism spores are killed?

I am wondering if it's possible to pressure can low-acid foods in my Instant Pot. Now hear me out. I know it's not recommended because the highest pressure that can be guaranteed on it is 10.2 PSI, and many low-acid foods require 15 PSI for a…
Christy
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Is adding garlic powder to pasta with oil safe?

Semi-food related but wasn't sure where else to post it. I was just cooking up a quick late night meal and ended up throwing a little garlic powder onto my pasta (which already had a small amount of olive oil on it) after eating it I found out about…
Jordan L
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