Home-Cooked Food Gifts Could Make You Sick for the Holidays
Treats such as preserved jams and jellies,
cookies, cakes and personalized packages of candies make crafty (and
economical) homemade holiday gifts. But if the gift-givers whipped up
these and other goodies themselves, those delectables could be passing
along botulism too, reports MSNBC.
Food-borne
botulism is a paralyzing illness caused by botulinum spores. (These
spores live on fresh food surfaces and die when exposed to air.) When
food gets canned, the process produces a low oxygen environment where
spores can linger and reproduce the harmful bacteria.
While
botulism cases are rare in the United States (the CDC reported 18 cases
in 2008), it’s still important to watch out for home-cooked goods that
go bad. And although you can’t spot a nasty spore just by looking at
canned foods, you can take steps to avoid getting sick from spoiled
home-cooked eats.
First, be cautious about eating low-acidic
homemade canned foods, such as green beans, carrots, vegetable salsa,
chocolate sauces and pestos. The lack of acid in these foods allows
spores to germinate, so home canning them in boiling water may not be
enough to ensure they’re safe to eat. (In contrast, home-canned
high-acid foods, such as fruits, tomatoes with added lemon juice, and
pickled products with a certain amount of vinegar, are usually OK.)
Second,
ask questions. If you receive a home-cooked food gift, ask when and how
the giver made it and where he or she got the recipe. (Cooks should
only use tested recipes found on the United States Department of
Agriculture [USDA] website.) If you’re not happy with the gift-giver’s
answer, toss the food.
Next, check the jar. Food shouldn’t
stick out of the liquid and be discolored or moldy. If you notice any
of these unappetizing signs, then the food is probably not safe to eat.
Finally, if the food is canned, look for a vacuum seal. Why?
Because the vacuum seal prevents contaminated air from getting back
into the product. If this seal is missing, it’s a sure sign the food
preparer used improper and unhealthy canning techniques.
Click here to learn which popular party foods are often the most contaminated.
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
Previous Comments:
Featured Video
The TS Interview: Dennis Aviles shares his experience with kidney health To learn more about kidney health, click here.
