In article >,
Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:

> On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:42:07 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton
> > wrote:
>
> >On Jan 13, 1:48*pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> >> On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:40:59 -0600, Melba's Jammin'
> >>
> >> > wrote:
> >> >In article >,
> >> > Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> >> >> washed too. *These bulbs grow underground, they are always dirty, and
> >> >> that tiny bit of dirt harbors botulism.
> >>
> >> >Your eyes just got browner, Sheldon. *I
> >>
> >> >The soil might harbor the clostridium botulinum bacterium that becomes
> >> >the botulism poison, but even *that* doesn't happen except under certain
> >> >conditions. *You dork! * *
> >>
> >> And you're plain wrong. *It's rare for botulism to survive cooking but
> >> when onions are cut raw there is very good opportunity for cross
> >> contamination. *And onions eaten raw in salads are responsible for
> >> many a case of foodborne illness, especially from previously prepped
> >> salads at restaurants... I never take raw onions at salad bars, and I
> >> like raw onions. *Green/spring onions are especially prone to carry
> >> botulism... celery too. *The thing is the majority of cases are too
> >> minor to seek medical attention so they go unreported, but why spend a
> >> miserable day hugging the terlit if it can be avoided by simply
> >> washing all produce carefully. *Very few wash produce as soon as they
> >> bring it home, they just toss it all in the fridge... produce needs to
> >> be washed before placing it in your fridge.
> >
> >Shel, I think you need to learn more about botulism.
> >fresh produce is rarely a source of botulism.)
>
> Is that why folks are warned not to store garlic, onions, etc. in oil?

Yes.
For the toxin to develop requires an anaerobic environment. That's why
simply having a vacuum seal on a jar of home-canned green beans isn't
enough to render it safe; that is the environment necessary for the
bacteria to develop the toxin. The high heat of pressure canning is
required to safely process plain (as opposed to pickled) vegetables.

Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Holy Order of the Sacred Sisters of St. Pectina of Jella
"Always in a jam, never in a stew; sometimes in a pickle."
Pepparkakor particulars posted 11-29-2010;
http://web.me.com/barbschaller