"BeeBop" wrote:
> My mom makes them every summer. I have a couple jars in the pantry, made in
> summer 06. They are sealed, of course. Now, how long are they good for?
> How do I know if they aren't good anymore? I just opened a jar, and they
> are of course, delicious, and I HATE pickles, except for Mom's. And once a
> jar is opened, how long does it usually keep in the fridge?
>
> Also, can you get botulism from homemade dill pickles? I am wondering if I
> should let my 2 year old son eat them.

Any home canning is risky business. Canned pickles can definitely be
contaminated with botulism... and you cannot detect botulism by odor,
sight, taste, or texture. I wouldn't recommend consuming home canned
pickles older than two years (published food storage charts recommend
one year, but they tend to over engineer, use your own judgement).
Personally I don't consume any home canned foods other than jams/
jellies, and then only from people I know can be trusted to know what
they're doing.

http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/...nut/gh1457.htm

[excerpt]
For safety's sake
The level of acid in a pickled product is as important to its safety
as it is to its taste and texture.

Do not change the amounts of vinegar, food or water in a recipe. Don't
use a vinegar with unknown acidity. Don't use homemade vinegar.
Only use recipes with tested amounts of ingredients.
There must be enough acid in the mixed product to prevent the growth
of botulinum bacteria. If botulinum bacteria grow inside jars, they
can produce the toxin that causes botulism, an often fatal form of
food poisoning.
---

Sheldon