I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
too or just fresh?

Thank you!

Teresa

On Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:05:32 -0800 (PST), Teresa >
wrote:

>I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
>of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
>cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
>at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
>need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
>I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
>out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
>too or just fresh?
>
>Thank you!
>
>Teresa

Is there any way you can just mix up what you want at any given time?
I would think that would be preferable, at least to my mind. That
way, there would be no worry as to whether or not it was safe, and no
waste.

I realize that you have already mixed up some and need to figure out
what to do with it. I am not that knowledgeable about storage in or
out of the fridge.

Christine

Teresa wrote:

> I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
> of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
> cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
> at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
> need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
> I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
> out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
> too or just fresh?


Just fresh. Dried carries no risk.

--
Reg

"Teresa" > wrote in message
...
>I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
> of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
> cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
> at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
> need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
> I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
> out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
> too or just fresh?
>
> Thank you!

I would keep it in the fridge just to be safe.

Julie Bove wrote:

> "Teresa" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
>>of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
>>cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
>>at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
>>need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
>>I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
>>out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
>>too or just fresh?
>>
>>Thank you!
>
>
> I would keep it in the fridge just to be safe.
>
>

No. It's already safe.

GARLIC
Safe Methods to Store, Preserve and Enjoy
http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/garlic.htm

"properly dried garlic cloves may be safely added to flavor oils"

Botulism requires a moist substrate to live. Anything dried can
be safely used in an oil infusion.

--
Reg

On Dec 27, 8:55 pm, Reg > wrote:
> Julie Bove wrote:
> > "Teresa" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> >>I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
> >>of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
> >>cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
> >>at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
> >>need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
> >>I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
> >>out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
> >>too or just fresh?
>
> >>Thank you!
>
> > I would keep it in the fridge just to be safe.
>
> No. It's already safe.
>
> GARLIC
> Safe Methods to Store, Preserve and Enjoyhttp://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/garlic.htm
>
> "properly dried garlic cloves may be safely added to flavor oils"
>
> Botulism requires a moist substrate to live. Anything dried can
> be safely used in an oil infusion.
>
> --
> Reg

Thank you so much for your reply.........I appreciate it very much &
will enjoy the oil without fear! :-)

Teresa

"Julie Bove" > wrote in news:gvYcj.2978$ML6.494
@trndny04:

>
> "Teresa" > wrote in message
> news:1e141bc4-ab2b-4490-9d3d-cb085bff8592
@w38g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>>I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
>> of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
>> cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
>> at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
>> need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
>> I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
>> out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
>> too or just fresh?
>>
>> Thank you!
>
> I would keep it in the fridge just to be safe.
>
>

Botulism grows via spores...These spores can be anywhere. If the spores
get the right conditions theyh will germinate. the outer surfaces of
veggies is a good place to find them. I wouldn't trust anything I read
over the internet about the 'Safness' of a thing. I advise contacting a
university near you.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

On Dec 27, 8:55�pm, Reg > wrote:
> Julie Bove wrote:
> > "Teresa" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> >>I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
> >>of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
> >>cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
> >>at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
> >>need to store it in the fridge? �In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
> >>I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
> >>out or you run the risk of botulism. �Does that apply to DRIED garlic
> >>too or just fresh?
>
> >>Thank you!
>
> > I would keep it in the fridge just to be safe.
>
> No. It's already safe.
>
> GARLIC
> Safe Methods to Store, Preserve and Enjoyhttp://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/garlic.htm
>
> "properly dried garlic cloves may be safely added to flavor oils"
>
> Botulism requires a moist substrate to live. Anything dried can
> be safely used in an oil infusion.

That's not true. Botulism survives quite well in dried herbs and will
begin to multiply in oil as well as water... actually botulism will
multiply better in oil than in water. Dried herbs won't rehydrate in
oil so will make good oil bitter. It's best to use fresh herbs to
flavor oil but to only make up what you will use in say a week or less
and keep it refrigerated. And keep in mind, dehydrated doesn't mean
food products contain no water... typically dehy foods contain 10pct
water by weight... even dry pasta contains about 18pct water.... dried
herbs contain between 5-20pct water by weight. Bottled salad dressing
contains dehy herbs, as do many prepared foods, but there is also
sufficient salt, sugar, and acid to retard botulism growth to safe
levels, plus many of those food products have been pasteurized.

Sheldon wrote:

> On Dec 27, 8:55�pm, Reg > wrote:
>
>>Botulism requires a moist substrate to live. Anything dried can
>>be safely used in an oil infusion.
>
>
> That's not true. Botulism survives quite well in dried herbs and will
> begin to multiply in oil as well as water... actually botulism will
> multiply better in oil than in water. Dried herbs won't rehydrate in
> oil so will make good oil bitter. It's best to use fresh herbs to
> flavor oil but to only make up what you will use in say a week or less
> and keep it refrigerated. And keep in mind, dehydrated doesn't mean
> food products contain no water... typically dehy foods contain 10pct
> water by weight... even dry pasta contains about 18pct water.... dried
> herbs contain between 5-20pct water by weight. Bottled salad dressing
> contains dehy herbs, as do many prepared foods, but there is also
> sufficient salt, sugar, and acid to retard botulism growth to safe
> levels, plus many of those food products have been pasteurized.
>

<LOL> That's a whole lot of misinformation in such a small
space.

You seem to be laboring under the misconception that something
must be 100% dry in order to be safe from botulinum growth. That's
incorrect. It just needs to be "dry enough".

Let's put some real world numbers to it, shall we?

The minimum level of water (known as "water activity") required
to support Clostridium botulinum types A and B is 0.93

Dried herbs / dried fruit / dried garlic have a water activity
level well below this. On the order of 0.3 - 0.8.

See:

Evaluation and Definition of Potentially Hazardous Foods
Factors that Influence Microbial Growth
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/ift4-3.html

Like the original cite says, dried products are safe to use in
oil infusions because they won't support botulinum growth.

And Sheldon is FOS as usual.

--
Reg

On Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:05:32 -0800 (PST), Teresa >
wrote:

>I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
>of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
>cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
>at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
>need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
>I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
>out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
>too or just fresh?
>
I think it may be only for fresh. The biggest mistake I've ever made
as far as home made gifts was to put fresh herbs in extra virgin olive
oil. Bought pretty bottles to put it in. The entire batch went down
the drain. sigh

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Teresa" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I just bought a bottle of "Dipping Oil Herbs" that contains all kinds
> > of DRIED herbs, spices & garlic. I added the recommended amount to 2
> > cups of extra virgin olive oil. My question is can I let this sit out
> > at room temp until we use it all up - probably a few weeks - OR do I
> > need to store it in the fridge? In the back of my mind, I'm thinking
> > I heard one time that you should not let oil that has garlic in it sit
> > out or you run the risk of botulism. Does that apply to DRIED garlic
> > too or just fresh?
>
> I would keep it in the fridge just to be safe.

If you put olive oil in the fridge, it will separate
into liquid and semi-solid phases. In my experience,
that ruins the bouquet and it nevers comes back again
even after bring back to room temperature. I can't
think of a logical reason why that should happen, but
it does.