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Show i Tomato Canning Might Not Be Safe, Says Utah State Prof. No one would think of buying canned food from the supermarket super-market if she knew five cans out of every 100 might not be I safe. But that's the percent of, home canned tomato samples collected in Utah that were in a questionable category of safety. The samples were collected by Utah State University from all over Utah to determine if Utah tomato varieties had enough acid to inhibit growth of Clostridium botulinum microoragnisms. According to Von T. Men-denhall, Men-denhall, . nutrition and food science professor at USU, the acidity of the 351 samples of home canned tomatoes was sufficient to inhibit c. botulinum with the exception of one sample which had excessive ex-cessive mold growth which reduced the acidity significantly. Mendenhall pointed out that botulism, resulting from the growth of the micro-organisms Clostridium botulinum, is a potentially fatal poisoning and that five cases of botulism between 1950 and 1974 were attirbuted to home canned tomato products in the United States. "Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspect that microorganisms other than botulinum were present in the tomatoes, causing reduction of the acidity so the botulinum could grow and produce toxin," the USU food scientist stated. According to Mendenhall, it is not the lack of acidity but improper canning methods which sre responsible for spoilage. "Of the samples collected for our research, one of the most obvious reasons for spoilage was improper processing times. At sea level the USDA -ecommends a processing time f 45 minutes for the waterbath cold pack) method-due to altitude changes in Utah, 55 minutes recommended in this state," noted Dr. Mendenhall. Men-denhall. In interviews conducted during the collection of samples, sam-ples, two main reasons were given for reducing processing time-to retain more vitamins and to improve flavor. "Neither of these reasons is justified in view of the risk involved," stressed the USU professor. He also emphasized only the waterbath and pressure cooker methods were recommended for tomato canning. ' "Open kettle methods are not acceptable because of the risk of recontamination after the cooking process. Of the 38 samples we collected which were processed by the open kettle method, 18 contained microoganisms which would grow on selected media," Mendenhall related. Other reasons for the questionable safety of the five I persent of the tomato samples included: improper head space, using unapproved jars and lids and reusing lids. "It is imperative every home canner accept the fact safety should be the most important consideration in canning. The following recommendations should be strictly adhered to reduce the risk of botulism," Mendenhall consluded. 1. Throw away all of your home canning recipes and obtain a copy of the latest USDA publications on home canning from your local USU Extension Agent. 2. Pay strict attention to processing times and pressures. 3. Use only those methods approved for home canning-waterbath canning-waterbath or pressure cooker. 4. Use only jars and lids specifically designed for home canning. 5. Follow directions carefully-don't cut corners. 6. And finally, remember the safety of family members is your responsibility. No matter how precious nutrients and flavor are, they can never replace the value of a person. |