Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/823557/panning_for_gold_and_diamonds_in_the.html?cat=3

Panning for Gold and Diamonds in the United States: How and Where
By Richard Blake, published Jul 02, 2008
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Summer is finally here in Colorado, and for me it is a magical time. One of my favorite avocations is prospecting. In the 1980s, I made a good deal of money from leasing some gold-mining claims that I filed. With today’s gold prices being what they are, well, I’d be a fool not to get back into the game.

The interest in prospecting has never been higher. A series of popular new shows on the Outdoor Channel, including Gold Fever and Gold Prospecting, are put out by a Gold Prospector’s organization the Gold Prospecting Association of American (GPAA), probably the largest gold prospecting organization in the US. Generally gold prospecting organizations are family based organizations, usually private and occasionally non-profit that allow the prospector to search for and usually keep all the gold they find on properties the organizations have leased. There are a number of organizations in many different states including California, Alaska, Texas, Georgia, even New Hampshire. A fairly comprehensive list is available online at http://miningold.com/clubs.html. Membership fees vary widely. For example, Gold Prospectors of the Rockies based in Lakewood, Colorado charges $40 for the first family member.

There is also a pay to mine diamond mine in at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas (the fees change but the last time I looked it was just $6.50 for an adult per day). You can use any hand equipment you want as long as it doesn’t have wheels, a battery or an engine. The largest diamond found there was around 40 carats but most diamonds found there, are according to the parks website, “the size of a matchhead.” There is also a pay to mine opal mine in Idaho.

For those of you to whom joining a prospecting club or a pay to mine site seems just a little too tame, sort of like fishing at a pay to fish stocked pond, and who seek the potentially greater rewards (and of course risks) of making discoveries on your own, an introductory lesson on prospecting is probably in order. Prospecting in its purest form is unnecessary at properties owned or leased by prospecting clubs or pay to mine sites. Prospecting is conducted to prove the presence of a valuable mineral deposit. At these sites that is almost always a given, these sites were prospected years ago.

What, to me, is a lot more fun, not to mention a great deal more potentially profitable is prospecting itself. For gold and diamond mining the most commonly used tool (aside from the pick and shovel) is the gold pan.

The Poudre River Resort (http://www.poudreriverresort.com) , located near Fort Collins, is one of the few spots where you can pan for both gold and diamonds. The last active diamond mine in the United States, the Kelsey Lake mine, was located nearby 25 miles south of Laramie near the Colorado/Wyoming border. After finding some of the largest diamonds ever found in the United States, it closed in 2002. On their website they list a 12 step procedure for gold or diamond panning, but admit that no two people pan alike. For me the procedure is quite a bit simpler but arguably just as effective.

The first step is to fill the gold pan with material that is likely to have trapped gold. This can be anything from grassroots in some areas, to tough stream bank material (the presence of cobblestone smooth rocks embedded in a tough clay or sandy soil is a good sign), to gravels deep in river channels (beneath the water table is good, cracks in bedrock are the best).

The second step is to submerge the pan and the material completely in water. Break up any clay and remove the largest rocks after washing them off in the pan. Shake up the pan and all its contents to allow the heavy material to settle towards the bottom.

Add more water until and allow any muddy water to escape over the sides until it runs clean. Next go through the material with your fingers and remove the medium sized rocks, again after washing and checking, of course, to make sure that you are not throwing away a nugget or diamond. Shake the pan from side to side again to allow the heavies to settle further.

Next fill the pan with water again and tilt slightly away from you, shaking the pan from side to side causing the lighter material mixed evenly with water to fall out of the pan. Stop when you run out of enough water that the material does not behave almost like a liquid itself. Repeat the procedure until you are down to the heavy material, most of which will be a material called black sands.

Most of the black sand is a mineral called magnetite, an iron ore. As its name would imply, magnetite is magnetic and hence the easiest method removing magnetite is with a magnet. The gold often hides underneath the magnetite and once you see an unmistakable piece of it, you will be hooked on prospecting. The diamonds are lighter and will likely be above the magnetite along with what are referred to as diamond indicator minerals, red garnets and green olivine. Carry a specimen bottle and tweezers to save your finds.

According to Geological Survey Professional Paper 610, “Principal Gold Producing Districts of the United States” by A.H. Koschmann and M.H. Bergendahl (1968), there are mining districts that have produced at least 10,000 ounces of gold each in 21 different States. The greatest production has been from five states; Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada and South Dakota. Most of the rest of the 21 are also western states, but the list also includes states not frequently thought of as gold producing, including Georgia, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania. That is not to say that other states do not have gold deposits but whose production did not reach the level to be labeled a “prinicipal” district. These include Indiana, Texas, Missouri, Wisconsin and others. The expression is that “gold is where you find it” and is very true. It is entirely possible that you may find gold somewhere no one else has thought to look.

Unfortunately, fewer states have produced or have potential to produce diamonds. According to http://geology.com/gemstones/united-states-diamond-production.shtml in addition to Arkansas, significant amounts of diamonds have been found only in Alaska, Minnesota, Wyoming and Colorado. However, from reading an account of my great uncle’s expedition in the Utah desert he describes a geological formation that sounds suspiciously like a kimberlite pipe. Geology.com also reports that Wyoming may have hundreds of such pipes and that Minnesota and Wyoming are both geologically similar to the large Canadian diamond belt that has been producing millions in diamonds in recent years.

Sources:

http://geology.com/gemstones/united-states-diamond-production.shtml
http://www.poudreriverresort.com/panning_for_placer_diamonds_and.htm
http://miningold.com/clubs.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/96788/theres_gold_in_those_hills_try_panning.html?cat=10

There’s Gold in Those Hills: Try Panning for Gold for a Truly Unique Hobby
By Gary Picariello, published Dec 11, 2006
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I recently spent about a month in Alamogordo, New Mexico and I have to admit that at least a couple of times I caught myself daydreaming about what it must have been like to have been a prospector during the old west. Alamogordo didn’t hit it big with gold per se, but it experienced brisk business with silver and other minerals during a time when the west was still wild and one man’s claim could turn into another man’s dream if he wasn’t quick enough on the draw.

There are several locations around Alamogordo that were big mining towns that grew up overnight and faded away just as fast when the gold ran its course or turned out to be nothing of value.

Beats the heck out of me whether there’s any gold in “them thar hills” anymore. But I know one thing, prospecting for gold may sound silly to some, but it’s got enough of a following to support a healthy niche industry for anyone who wants to give it a try.

So what’s the attraction? Well for starters consider thatone ounce gold nugget will bring $2,000 to $4,000 on the collectors market. Per a letter from the Department of Agriculture, no permit is needed for recreational gold panning and gold prospecting in the general national forest areas, provided no machinery is used. Our gold panning and prospecting maps show many national forests with gold sites.

Panning for Gold is Easier Than You Think. You don’t have to be out in the Klondike somewhere to search for the Mother Lode. The best places to pan are along creeks, particularly behind boulders where eddies form. Although “black sand” (magnetite) is difficult to separate from the gold, it’s a great indication that you’re in the right spot. Heck you know that small creek behind your house? That’s as good a place as any. (If there’s no small creek behind your house, let’s just fake it)

The great thing about panning for gold...as opposed to digging for gold….is that it doesn’t take a whole lot. As far as hobbies are concerned; panning for gold is pretty low maintenance. I’m proud to say that everything I ever learned about pannin’ for gold I learned on the internet. Check out www.explorenorth.com and remember to keep your voice down when you strike it rich…

- Find a pan - anything with sloping sides will work.

- Fill your pan with sand and/or gravel.

- Dip your pan into the creek, or pour water into the pan. Shake the pan in a sideways, back-and-forth manner. The gold will now start to settle to the bottom of the pan.

- After a couple of minutes of shaking, pick out the bigger rocks that are getting separated (make sure than you don’t throw away any nuggets!)

- Tilt your pan away from you a bit and start letting gravel fall out. Remember, the gold is rapidly settling to the bottom of the pan now. Add water as necessary to keep a good “soupy” gravel mixture - it helps the gold settle.

- Keep tilting the pan more and more, and letting the gravel on top fall over the side. The bottom of the pan should always be lower than the lip of the pan, though, or the gold will fall out.

- As you get to the last bit of sand in your pan, adding a circular motion to your shaking will make the gold separation more obvious - not more effective, but more fun to watch.

- The last bit of sand takes care, and is the slowest part - as long as you don’t tip your pan too far, though, the gold will stay in the pan.

- The traditional declaration of success is “Bonanza!” Get a small glass container. Put your gold into the container - it will stick to your finger in the pan, and then wash it off into the container. Display the container on your mantel to impress the neighbors!

The above mentioned tips did not yield any gold. But I sure did get a sore back. Maybe the river we were panning in was too big. Perhaps you’ve heard of it - it’s called the Rio Grande.

Well pardner, rivers aren’t the only place to come down with gold fever, if you don’t mind a little digging. Most of the area you will want to hunt will be reasonably flat with exposed bed rock here and there. You’ll want to pack a pick, a shovel and metal detector. Quite often, there will be steep banks of reddish gravel around the flat area on at least one side. These banks can be two or three hundred feet high. This is the ore that was being mined. Take a close look at the gravel in the banks so you will recognize it later. If you run your detector over the stuff, you will probably find many hot rocks. Usually the bottom two or three feet had the best gold and the old timers sometimes just washed the rest into the drainage because there wasn’t enough gold to pay for the wear and tear on their sluice boxes. There had to be some place for the water and tailings to drain out of the digs. The mine could be open on one side or there may be one or more tunnels. If there is a tunnel, the miners often put their sluice in it.

Let’s take a closer look at the “reasonably flat area”. In the typical mine you will usually see some stunted trees eking out an existence by sinking their roots into bed rock cracks and some trees that enjoy a better life in areas where the gravel or dirt covers the bed rock. There are often many piles of rocks that were either too large to move or would cause too much damage if allowed to go through the sluice box.

In general, the best places to look are on bed rock or where dirt or other material appears to be shallow enough that any gold on bed rock is in range of your detector.

Now, you won’t be able to find these areas without help. So, if you’re on a schedule and a budget, you may just want to cut to the chase and purchase a gold map. Gold maps tell you how to pan, where to look in a streambed and how to tell fool’s gold from real gold. You can quickly learn to pan by following the instructions on your map. Some people like to pan for gold at public rights of way where bridges cross gold-bearing streams. Treasure hunters metal detect for coins at the rural schools and churches.

Check out www.goldmaps.com for good deals on gold maps. (I’m not quite sure why more people just don’t buy these things. They pretty much come with an “X” to mark the spot.

Seriously though, in the sprit of adventure and the fun that searching for gold invariably brings, most gold maps can only give you an idea of where gold may be found. Anybody claiming more than that is laughing all the way to the bank with your money.

For the record, a streak of gold mines and gold prospecting sites extends from near Montgomery, Alabama to WashingtonD.C. The gold was placed there when Africa overrode North America about 250 million years ago. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama have many gold mines and prospecting sites. These states were our main source of gold for 45 years before the California gold discovery. In 1837, the US Government established gold coin mints in Georgia and North Carolina, rather than transport the raw gold to the Philadelphia Mint.

Who knows — there may be gold right under your finger tips. If you’re looking for a hobby or a great way to meet people (there are plenty of “prospecting and panning” clubs across the US) then digging for gold may be just what you need.

Resources

* www.keeneengineering.com
* miningold.com
* www.treasurefish.com

[Note: Keene may well be the best mining equipment for the weekend miner, I was happy with mine.

There are other links with these articles.

It is knowledge that might buy beans for you some day, but do not expect it to pay for a Cadillac.

granny]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/94206/panning_for_gold_at_sovereign_hills.html?cat=8

Panning for Gold at Sovereign Hills in Ballarat, Australia
Thar’s Gold in Them Thar Hills!
By DrDevience, published Dec 11, 2006
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Sovereign Hill in Ballarat is the site of Australia’s gold rush in the 1850s. They have done a wonderful recreation of the times complete with being able to pan for gold in the stream coming out of the mountain. Yes, there is real gold to find there, which can then be sold to the bank within the town.

After paying your $33.50au ($16au for kids) you step through the door into a room full of giant posters, a scale model of the town, and a movie, all centering on the gold rush. Step outside from there and you find yourself totally immersed in a 19th century Australian gold mining town.

Folks wander about Sovereign Hill dressed in the garb of the day and doing their daily chores. There are horses turning big ol’ wheels and wonderful shops hawking their wares. The work is done on-premises and it is very fun to watch them ply their trades. You can make your own candles in the wax shop, or gawk at the metal smith as he fashions you a wonderful souvenir of your Sovereign Hill visit.

Wander up the hill to the Bowling Tavern for a break from the heat with a nice chilled bottle of ginger beer while you try your hand at old time bowling. They have about 4 lanes set up with pins. Be warned that if you manage to knock those pins down with the small wooden ball, you must set them up again for the next person. Very fun, that.

Sovereign Hill also offers tours of two gold mines. The steps leading down deep into the mines are treacherous though, so be warned if you are handicapped or have heart problems you might want to skip those tours. If you can handle the exertion, it is worth it. I have Lupus and managed it without too much trouble. They have a copy of the huge gold nugget down there, the largest nugget ever taken in one piece in Australia. It is quite a sight.

If you get hungry while oohing, ahhhing, and panning for your own gold, there are numerous places to fill your belly. The choices range from fancy restaurants to cheap tourist fare so there is pretty much food to satisfy everyone in every price range at Sovereign Hill.

For a little bit extra you can take a stagecoach ride around the town. This ride is only about 15 minutes, but it is fun if for nothing else than the picture opportunity. Also, keep your eye peeled as those folks in period costume do various impromptu skits for the public from time to time.

If you missed buying anything from the various old time stores within the town, the Sovereign Hill gift shop on your way out is fairly big, and the souvenirs within it run the whole gamut from pricey gold jewelry to schlocky pencils. They also have some nice shirts and jackets with the Sovereign Hill logo on them for reasonable prices.

If you want to partake in the nightly fireworks and other festivities, Sovereign Hill has a nice hotel within the mining town so you can spend the night afterwards.

While I didn’t really see more than about 4 hours worth of Touristy goodness at Sovereign Hill, those 4 hours were worth the price of admittance. Personally, I’m just more into the medieval time period than the gold rush time period. You might get 2 days worth of fun here though if you do like the whole gold rush theme. At any rate, it is well worth stopping in if you are in the Ballarat area, especially if you have children with you. The kids we saw that day were having a blast.

For more information: http://www.sovereignhill.com.au/

[Wonderful photos with this one..]

From the osint@yahoogroups.com, an intel group and it is worth knowing...granny

Good information! Through a Rapist’s Eyes (No Joke). When this was sent to
me I was told to forward it to my lady friends but I forwarded it to most
everyone in my address book. My men friends have female friends and this
Information is too important to miss someone. Please pass it along and
share it with your children. A group of rapists and date rapists in prison
were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are
some interesting facts:

1. The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or
other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go
after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2. The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women
whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors
around specifically to cut clothing.

3) They also look for women on their cell phone searching through their
purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off-guard and
can be easily overpowered.

4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning between 5:
00a.m. and 8:30a.m.

5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery store
parking lots. The number two: office parking lots/garages.
Number three: public restrooms.

6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and
quickly move her to another location where they don’t have to worry about
getting caught.

7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year
sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.

8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all they get discouraged because it
only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t
worth it because it will be time consuming.

9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas or other
similar objects that can be used from a distance in their hands.
Keys are NOT a deterrent because you have to get really close to the
attacker to use them as a weapon. So the idea is to convince these guys
you’re not worth it.

10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following
behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or
stairwell look them in the face and ask them a question like what time is
it? or make general small talk: ‘I can’t believe it is so cold out here
‘We’re in for a bad winter.’ Now you’ve seen their face and could identify
them in a line-up you lose appeal as a target.

11) If someone is coming toward you hold out your hands in front of you and
yell STOP! or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d
leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to
fight back. Again they are looking for an EASY target.

12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and
carries it with him wherever he goes) yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding
it out will be a deterrent.

13) If someone grabs you you can’t beat them with strength but you can by
outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind pinch the
attacker either under the Arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper
inner thigh VERY VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him
she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was
so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy
needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can
stand it - it hurts.

14) After the initial hit always GO for the GROIN. I know from a
particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is
extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him
want to hurt you more but the thing these rapists told our instructor is
that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing
trouble and he’s out of there.

15) When the guy puts his hands up to you grab his first two fingers and
bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them
as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure and I
ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of
your surroundings take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd
behavior don’t dismiss it go with your instincts!!! You may feel a little
silly at the time but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body.
If you are close enough to use it do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans: If a robber asks for
your wallet and/or purse DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from
you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse
than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER
DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car kick out the back tail
lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The
driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating,
working etc. and just sit (doing their checkbook or making a list etc.)
DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you and this is the perfect
opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side put a gun to your head
and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR LOCK THE DOORS
AND LEAVE. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF
repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything
wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you.

If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as
the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your
body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot or parking
garage:

A.) Be aware: look around you look into your car at the passenger side
floor and in the back seat.

B.) If you are parked next to a big van enter your car from the passenger
door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their
vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle and the
passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car you
may want to walk back into the mall or work and get a guard/policeman to
walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better
paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible
places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at
NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times.
And even then it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN preferably in a
zigzag pattern!

8. As women we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP! It may get you
raped or killed. Ted Bundy the serial killer was a good-looking
well-educated man who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.
He walked with a cane or a limp and often asked ‘for help’ into his vehicle
or with his vehicle which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying
baby on her porch the night before last and she called the police because it
was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her ‘Whatever you do
DO NOT open the door. ‘The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had
crawled near a window and she was worried that it would crawl to the street
and get run over. The policeman said ‘We already have a unit on the way
whatever you do DO NOT open the door.’
He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby’s cry recorded and
uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a
baby. He said they have not verified it but have had several calls by women
saying that they hear baby’s cries outside their doors when they’re home
alone at night. Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying
baby -— This should be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was
mentioned on America’s Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the
serial killer in Louisiana.

I’d like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life.
A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this
to the ladies only but guys if you love your mothers, wives, sisters,
daughters etc. you may want to pass it onto them as well Life is Grand!
Negativity and paranoia are highly contagious — protect yourself and wear a
smile!

BOTULISM, HUMAN, HOME CANNED GREEN BEANS - USA: (OHIO)
******************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Wed 17 Sep 2008
Source: Mansfield (OH) News Journal [edited]
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/UPDATES01/80917023

A man and his grandson remain in the hospital after coming down with
food-borne botulism last weekend [13-14 Sep 2008]. The man is listed
in critical condition at MedCentral/Mansfield Hospital and his
grandson is in serious condition at Akron Children’s Hospital after
eating home-canned green beans. 2 grandaughters also were treated for
botulism and have been released from Akron Children’s.

Stephanie Zmuda, Environmental Health Director at the Galion City
Health Department, said after 10 years in the field, this is the
first time she’s dealt with such cases of contamination. “Botulism is
a type of food poisoning and is the most dangerous,” she said. “6
organisms is the infectious dose, so just a little bit of this germ
can get you sick. You do not have to have a whole serving of the food
to get sick.” [See Moderator’s Comments - Mod.LL]

Zmuda said home-canning is by far the most common way to get
botulism, which can block nerve function and lead to musculoskeletal
and respiratory paralysis, which can be fatal. Even after being
treated with an antitoxin, which comes from the CDC in Atlanta, GA,
those with severe botulism often require a breathing machine and
intensive medical care for weeks. Botulism survivors may feel
fatigued and short of breath for years to come.

“The processing is what is generally not done correctly,” Zmuda said
of food that is preserved at home. “There is a heat step at the end
of canning that is often forgotten.” Zmuda said although the toxins
in the food can be destroyed through heating, the spores are
heat-stable, that is, cooking it will not kill the spores.” [See
Moderator’s Comments - Mod.LL]

Liz Smith of the Ohio State University Wyandot County Extension said
there are 2 different ways to can: By pressure cooker and boiling
water method. “It can be a very complicated process,” Smith said. “If
you don’t have the proper temperature or amount of time, the can will
not seal correctly. If you use the boiling method, and don’t boil the
proper length of time, again, it will not seal correctly.” Smith
added that people who can at home need to make sure the gauge on
their old pressure cookers is properly adjusted and in good working order.

—
Communicated by:
ProMED Rapporteur Susan Baekeland
promed@promedmail.org

[Most USA botulism postings relate to the alert that a particular
commercially prepared food was not adequately made which would
increase a risk of intoxication with _C. botulinum toxin_. In most of
these, no clear evidence of botulism is found in the food product.
When botulism does occur related to food, it is most likely to be
home-prepared as here. It should be noted that in typical food-borne
botulism, the toxin is preformed in the food when ingested rather
than disease being produced with ingestion of spores or bacilli as
implied in the posting. Infant botulism (and its very rare adult
equivalent, adult intestinal toxemia botulism) are caused by
ingestion of spores which germinate and toxin is formed _in situ_.

Additionally, it is also not true that the canning process is
ineffective in killing the spores. The toxin can be destroyed by
heating contaminated food to 85 degrees C (185 degrees F) for at
least 5 minutes. Spores are inactivated by heating to 121 degrees C
(250 degrees F) under 15-20 lb/square inch pressure for at least 20
minutes (1).

1. Sobel J: Botulism. In, Beyond Anthrax: The Weaponization of
Infectious Diseases, Lutwick LI, Lutwick SM, eds, Springer Press, New
York, 2008, pg 92, in press. - Mod.LL]

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