How common is botulism again?

[me&thegals]

Me&TheGals, do I want to know what cowboy caviar is? lol

It's a type of salsa with lots of beans in it, and the sauciness comes from Italian dressing. I don't think you're supposed to can something with oil in it.

I also can my 3-bean salad, and that is oil based also. Obviously, I don't boil either of these 10 min before eating and so far so good.

 

[keljonma]

To my mind, it is kind of like those people who are hesitant to eat that first home grown backyard jewel presented by their first flock of hens.

The first year we were married, TR was kinda worried about home canning..... all these many decades later and he is still alive!

That said, anything doubtful is either boiled to death (for 10 to 15 minutes) or pitched.

 

[Wifezilla]

If you really fear it, avoid canning proteins as they are frequently the most likely to get it.

That!

Everything I have canned so far had a lot of acv or lime/lemon juice in it

 

[miss_thenorth]

Just curious... If one were to get botulism, how quickly would you die, or would you have a long, slow painful lingering death?

(just to make you all even more paranoid .)

Serioulsy though. I haven't pressure canned in several years. My mom's church is doing some canning classes, and i told her if they do pressure canning, I would like to sit in. Water bath canning I have no fear of, but pressure canning, I need a refresher.

 

[Wifezilla]

Looks like slow lingering...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botulism

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Symptoms:

* Foodborne symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food but can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days after food consumption.
* Initial symptoms include blurred or double vision, slurred speech, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness.
* Botulism toxin spreads throughout the body and predominantly affects the nervous system.
* Within hours, a facial paralysis begins and spreads to the rest of the body.
* Botulism can result in respiratory failure.

Recovery/Mortality Rate:

If treated, ingested botulism has a survival rate of more than 90 percent.

Source