Zakhar wrote:
>
> "Alf Christophersen" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 15:54:11 GMT, Bill > wrote:
> >
> > >Exactly right, and exactly the point that ****Har, the
> > >incoherent semi-"vegan", deliberately ignores.
> >
> > Wonder why preservated vegetables are the most risky thing to eat when
> > it comes to botulism??
> >
> > It's befause soil and dirt infect them with almost 100% certainty with
> > C. botulinum spores. Just ask in rec.food.preserving
>
> Damaged tins.
>
> >

Nothing to do with damaged tins. The spores of C botulinum (and its
relatives) are common in soils. Unless fruits and vegetables are very
carefully washed, scraped and dunked in chlorine bleach for ages etc,
those spores *will* be in tinned foods. However, careful heating
procedures (reaching the right temp for the right amount of time) during
canning will either inactivate the spores or prevent them from
germinating.
Because they are obligate anaerobes, the presence of oxygen which could
result from a damaged can (as in a pinhole or crack) would most likely
not encourage them to germinate. However a poorly-prepared sealed
container would be an ideal environment for them to germinate.
That's why tinned fruits, vegetables and sometimes meats/fish present a
higher risk for botulism than fresh.