Let's gleefully flirt with death!

It happened again. Will people never learn?

I just received a comment on an older blog post about canning mushrooms.

I’m sure you can guess what it was about. To quote: “While looking up recipes to water bath can mushrooms, your above comment came up in the search. My Grandmother, my mother, my mother-in-law and myself, have only ever water bathed veggies. I’m surprised it’s not the norm anymore.”

It’s “not the norm anymore” BECAUSE IT’S DANGEROUS. I’m honesty at a loss why someone would come onto this blog and condescendingly lecture me about their unsafe canning methods, but there you go. As my readers know by now, low-acid foods MUST be pressure canned to kill botulism spores.

The last time I posted about this frustration, a reader noted, “Maybe telling others what [botulism] actually is and how it can affect someone instead of just saying it is dangerous might help?” and helpfully supplied the following information (source unknown):

Botulism: a paralyzing nerve toxin, considered to be one of the most potent and lethal substances in the world. It’s produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and sometimes by strains of Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii. The rod-shaped bacteria are commonly found in soil and sediments from lakes, rivers and oceans. The bacteria thrive in low-oxygen conditions, such as canned foods, deep wounds & the intestinal tract, but when threatened form protective spores with a hard coating that allows the bacteria to survive for years.

Botulism does not cause fever; those affected are usually alert and aware of their surroundings. Once botulism is confirmed, it can be treated with an antitoxin and, in some cases, antibiotics. If the antitoxin is given before paralysis is complete, helps shorten recovery, which requires regrowth of motor nerve endings. Patient can be hospitalized for supportive treatment/ventilator, for weeks or months until paralysis improves. In some cases, muscle weakness & shortness of breath can last years.

But I know I’m talking to a brick wall with some people. Whee, let’s gleefully flirt with death! This person is going to water-bath can her mushrooms and other veggies, and someday will be shocked – shocked! – when a family member is hospitalized with this deadly toxin. You can lead a horse to water……