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.