zxcvbob wrote:

> _L Scott wrote (I'm not sure why you are indenting so much):
>
>> It's the "salinity" that saves your ass from Bot, not
>> the vinegar or the Chinese wine.
>>
> No, it's lactic acid from the fermentation that inhibits clostridium
> (botulism) growth. The salt optimizes conditions for some
> lacto-bacteria or another, then the bacteria acidifies the mash.
>
> Pastorio, or maybe it was Dr. Nummer, posted here a long time ago what
> the upper salinity range is for clostridium, and it is quite high --
> 20-something percent, I believe. Maybe one of them will join in the
> discussion.

I don't think I posted that. Salinity isn't much of a deterrent for
any of the clostridium critters until it gets up to numbers that make
the foods treated virtually inedible. It's more like acidity and water
activity that keeps the critters under control. Temperature can also
contribute to restriction of growth. Reasonably high salinity in an
acid solution will do it. It's pretty much what the shelf-stable hot
sauces rely on.

Pastorio