Botulism risk with oil
I've been reading about oil infused with raw veg and herbs and how it can give you botulism, and now I'm worried that when I use oil when preparing any vegetables I will contaminate my oil with bacteria, for example if I chop up some potatoes and then use the oil bottle to pour it over them without washing my hands. Am I crazy or not? Does there need to be a substantial amount of raw veg to cause problems or could any particles with the bacteria on it get in there hurt someone? As the bacteria is everywhere it seems like it could easily make its way in there and the oil is the perfect environment for it to survive.
Best Answer
The bottom line: yes, you are crazy.
Botulism arises when you have a substance which carries clostridium botulinum and keep it for a while (timescales of days rather than hours or minutes) in an anaerobic environment (like a bottle of oil).
The bacteria cannot burrow into the bottle from the outside, nor can it swim against gravity from your vegetables into the oil. The problem arises only if you end up with some of the vegetable matter inside the bottle.
If you are still concerned about this, you can decant some oil into a measuring cup and pour from there.
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Quick Answer about "Botulism risk with oil"
The primary concern with infused oils is the extremely dangerous and sometimes deadly microorganism, Clostridium botulinum (C. bot), which can cause botulism. The fresh vegetables, herbs, and/or fruits used to flavor or infuse oils can be contaminated with C. bot spores.Can you get botulism from oil?
Oils that are flavored with fresh herbs or garlic can be a source of food-borne illness\u2014specifically botulism.Does oil prevent botulism?
Commercially prepared oils have added acids and other chemicals to eliminate the risk of botulism, but still must be handled carefully and correctly.Is it safe to preserve food in oil?
Oil's oxygen-free environment is perfect for growth of the bacteria. For this reason, herbs and vegetables in oil must be stored correctly to prevent botulism food poisoning. Commercial garlic-in-oil mixtures are acidified to prevent bacterial growth. These products can be stored safely at room temperature.Can you get botulism from cooked garlic in oil?
BOTULISM WARNING As with all low-acid vegetables, garlic will support the growth and subsequent toxin production of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum when given the right con- ditions. These conditions include improper home canning and improper preparation and storage of fresh herb and garlic-in-oil mixtures.What is Botulism?
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