Infused oil - safety?

[jbh]

I understand that garlic in oil sitting out at room temperature is a superb medium for botulinum; should I be concerned about chile peppers in a jar of olive oil?

Thanks.

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jbh

[GreekCook]

I understand that garlic in oil sitting out at room temperature is a superb medium for botulinum; should I be concerned about chile peppers in a jar of olive oil?

  Thanks.

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jbh

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Definitely, the same thing applies to chile peppers.

It is far better to dry them to preserve them.

[jbh]

> Definitely, the same thing applies to chile peppers.

Thanks. I came across a recipe that called for infusing oil with peppers for a couple of weeks but I didn't think it may be such a great idea.

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jbh

[Bonnie Ruth]

What are the rules about infusing oils, then? I know I read something about this before but don't remember it.

[hummingbirdkiss]

I would love to know the answers to this ... I know raw garlic is a problem but this place I frequent puts roasted garlic infused oil out and leave it out 24/7 and I wondered about the safety of that as well?

[qrn]

I would love to know the answers to this ... I know raw garlic is a problem but this place I frequent  puts roasted garlic infused oil out and leave it out 24/7 and I wondered about the safety of that as well?

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Botulism (clostridum botulinum) are killed by roasting. The spores come from the soil the garlic is grown in.They thrive in an anaerobic non acidic environment. As sealed in oil. You might be able to kill em with pink salt cure. I am not sure.There are some folks on the charcuterie thread that would probably have an answer..l

Bud

[bdevidal]

Botulism  (clostridum botulinum) are killed by roasting. The spores come from the soil the garlic is grown in.They thrive in an anaerobic non acidic environment. As sealed in oil. You might be able to kill em with pink salt cure. I am not sure.There are some folks on the charcuterie thread that would probably have an answer..l

Bud

Mostly right. Clostridium Botulinum is fairly easy to kill in its live form, but the spores are much more hearty. Just roasting garlic may or may not be enough to kill the spores, depending on their presence and level of infiltration (i.e. the internal temp of a roasted garlic clove may not reach 212F, and you have to hold 212 for a ***really*** long time to sufficently reduce spore survivability). Most efforts focus on prevention by creating an enviroment non-conducive for spore germination. This is done removing water (i.e. dried herbs and garlic should be fine in oil at room temp, fresh herbs and garlic not so much), controling temp, and by creating an acidic environment (you can also introduce oxygen to produce an aerobic environment, but this is unreliable; see atmosphere reference in first link listed below). Second best is preservation by temperature or chemicals (canning, nitrites, etc). After looking into the entire botulism issue when I started canning, the best primary source info I have found (i.e. not just copying and repeating info from other guides) is this pdf created for the New Zealand Ministry Of Health, giving a good two page botulism overview, and this pdf from the USDA Food Safety And Inspection Service, a more detailed explanation of D-rates and Z-rates, how temperature processing guidelines are developed, etc. Of course, it's never bad to err on the side of caution when it comes to Clostridium Botulinum, given the fact that its toxin is one of the most poisonous things known to man, but it's also good to know exactly how and why the guidelines are what they are so one can make an educated decision.

-B

[Qwerty]

Putting pink salt in an oil is unlikely to have any effect, and could be dangerous if not used properly.

[qrn]

Bud

[paulraphael]

Any comments on storing infused oil in the fridge? My understanding was that botulinum is innactive at refrigerator temps.

[Gabriel Lewis]

paulraphael  Posted Today, 11:17 PM

  Any comments on storing infused oil in the fridge? My understanding was that botulinum is innactive at refrigerator temps.

This is correct, the cold temperatures inhibit their growth and they will not produce any toxin at refrigerator temperatures. Also useful to know is that the toxin readily decomposes when heated, so anything brought to boiling temp or higher should be safe.