SC - Byzantine Bread Stamps

[Alderton, Philippa]

> I couldn't remember if I had opened it or not, it had been to Pennsic and
> back and botulism doesn't show like other bacterial contamination, it is
> odourless and colourless. I'd rather toss a .5 pint of crabapple
> verjus that
> I've had for 3+ years than take the risk.
>
> Hauviette

Hauviette,

	I misunderstood your post and thought it said that the seal was intact,
which is what threw me.  Certainly I'd consider throwing away food I'd
opened at Pennsic with all its possibilities of Peer Plague (been there, had
that, am way more careful about hand washing and general food safety now!).
	On a side note, my research at the CDC and the Oregon State Extension
office tells me that you would have almost nothing to worry about from
Botulism.  It thrives in a low acid, anaerobic state.  E-coli now might be a
different thing.  Also, botulism toxins are destroyed by 10 minutes of
boiling, so if that had been the last 1/2 pint of crabapple verjus in the
world :-> you could have saved it from possible botulism by boiling it and
canning again.  This might not eradicate some other nastiness however.
	I was surprised to learn that most botulism poisoning is of infants under
the age of 1 and usually comes from feeding them honey!  I wonder how many
infant deaths in period were due to some midwife or nanny feeding junior
honey to "sweeten" him up only to have him die of botulism poisoning.  I
imagine it still happens among some "natural food" proponents who haven't
stumbled on this fact!
	Thank you for the "learning experience"!

Regina
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