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Tim Lewis
Young Farmer's Coordinator
v . •!-
Canners:
Be careful
of bacteria
Last week, we discussed die ma
jor factors causing food spoilage.
These were, as you recall, the
action of naturally occurring en
zymes, bacteria, yeasts, and molds.
Today 1 would like to share with
you some interesting facts about
bacteria I learned from the NEFCO
Canning Book, a publication of
Dixie Canncr Equipment Co. Inc.,
edited by William C. Hurst, Uni
versity of Georgia Extension Food
Scientist.
Bacteria arc the major concern of
canners, since there are so many
different kinds of them and they arc
able to survive under such differing
conditions of moisture, oxygen,
temperature, and tolerances to acids
and chemicals.
For example, some bacteria are
known as aerobic, and function
only in the presence of air. Other
bacteria are anaerobic, functioning
oniy in the absence of air. Most
bacteria, however are able to grow
either in the presence or absence of
air.
Bacteria can also be grouped ac
cording to their heat requirements
for growth. Three basic groups ex
ist: cold-loving, growing at
temperatures from 40 degrees to 68
degrees; intermediate, thriving at
moderate temperatures from 86 de
grees to 98 degrees; and heat-lov
ing, which can grow in conditions
up to 170 degrees.
The major objective in canning
operations is to thermally process
low-acid foods at a temperature
sufficient to destroy spores of the
bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
These low-acid foods have a pH of
4.6 or above and include fish, meat,
and most vegetables.
Clostridium botulinum is an
anaerobic bacterium which multi
plies at intermediate temperatures.
It produces a deadly toxin, the in
gestion of which causes a type of
food poisoning called botulism. It
is so deadly, in fact, that a spoonful
of the toxin might kill a million
people. Botulism disease is greater
than 60 percent fatal to man.
The organism causing botulism
comes from the word "botulus"
meaning "sausage." The first case
reported was in Germany in 1735,
.and was caused from eating infected
sausage.
• From 1900 to 1941, there were
more than 1000 cases reported in
the'U.S., nearly 700 of which were
fatal. A few deaths a year still oc
cur, arising mostly from home
canned vegetables and meat. Death
is generally due to respiratory fail
ure, and comes 3 to 6 days follow
ing ingestion. Non-fatal cases re
cover very slowly.
Clostridium botulinum is soil
borne, and can be found in both
fruits and vegetables. Fruits, how
ever, will not permit bacterial
growth or spore formation due to
their acid nature.
Vegetables, which are low-acid,
will permit bacterial growth and
production of reproductive organs
called spores which, when they
germinate, produce the toxin which
causes botulism. (The bacterium
itself is not harmful when in
gested). Boiling vegetables will kill
the vegetative cells but will not de
stroy any spores present.
Thus vegetables are processed
under very high temperatures and
pressure for a specific time to de
stroy Clostridium botulinum
spores. It is also recommended that
anytime you open a can of pro
cessed vegetables or meal that you
boil the contents for 15 minutes
before consumption. This will de
stroy any toxin present.
You home canners be careful! Or
better yet, bring your vegetables
and fruits to the Houston County
Food Processing Center located on
the campus of Perry High School
and we will help you process your
produce in a clean environment, ac
cording to state-of-the-art methods,
and at a reasonable price. Call 987-
1322 for more information.
Working wives
Wives work in nearly 70 percent
of husband-wife families, two-thirds
of them full-time, according to the
government’s Consumer Expendi
ture Survey.
1 Lean & Meaty
Ilißllbiwilb In Kraft Zesty Italian SB ■JV r
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7 before grilling. Scrumptious!
Great on chicken, too
Sparenbs
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M WITH THIS COUPON A *lO PURCHASE LIMIT ONE PER SHOPPING FAMILY. I ■ WITH THIS COUPON &»I 0 PURCHASE LIMIT ONE PER SHOPPING FAMILY ■ ■ WITH THIS COUPON 4 >lO PURCHASE HMII ONt «« SHOPPING TAMIIT *
■ REDEEMABLE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28 THRU TUCSOAY, JIAY 4, 1969 B = REDEEMABLE WEDNESDAY, JUNE ZB THRU TUESDAY JUIY 4, 1989 2 - REDEEMABLE WEDNESDAY. JUNE 28 THRU TUESDAY. JULY * 1989 ■
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Prices Effective Wednesday, June 28 Thru Tuesday, July 4, 1989.
. QUANTITY RIGHTS RESERVED • NO SALES TO DEALERS . NO CASE LOTS SOLD . WE ACCEPT U.S.D.A. FOOD STAMPS
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1989
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