I did some research on this back when, and botulism (clostridium) is a pretty
wimpy bacteria. It mainly grows when there is very little competition,
and also very little salt or acid. So it mainly is an issue in:

1. Improperly canned vegies (the heat kills the other bacteria)
2. Garlic cloves in oil (the garlic kills most of the other bacteria)
3. Fish fermented in plastic (no bacteria except the ones in the fish
guts, which sometimes includes clostridium)
4. Beached whales
5. Human guts, after there have been a lot of antibiotics

Also it needs no air. So the chances of it growing in anything with
live bacteria (like whey) aren't very good, and I haven't heard of any
cases of it.

However, whey does have bacteria in it, like leuconostoc, that aren't
real great for making kraut. Instead of producing acid, they produce
slime. Which can make great dairy products (it's used for making
buttermilk and viili) but personally I think it's a bit weird for
vegies.

Also, in general more acidic ferments are safer. There are other
bacteria besides clostridium that can be problematic. So far on these
lists no one seems to have gotten ill from a ferment that I've heard
of. Still, I keep some bentonite handy just in case. Some bentonite
mixed with water is a great treatment for food poisoning. Pepto Bismol
helps too.

Soooo ... if I wanted to make a low-salt kraut, I'd probably add more
vinegar or lemon juice or other acid (kraut juice from the last batch,
for instance). And/or cabbage juice (has natural nitrates). And/or
cayenne pepper. All of these tend to push the ferment towards the
acid-producing bacteria that makes kraut taste like kraut. But I'd
avoid whey.


On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 6:44 AM, dlmarykwas<donna@...> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> On a related note, is sauerkraut ever a cause of botulism? I did a search on
PubMed for sauerkraut and botulism and did not find any information. I also
looked through several of the annual CDC surveillance reports, and asked a CDC
official, but could not get a definitive answer.
>
> An academic website indicated that sauerkraut can become slimy due to some
strains of lactic acid bacteria, yet it did not indicate that this would pose a
health hazard. Leuconostoc spp. are part of the normal floral succession, and
they form particularly slimy colonies on solidified medium.
>
> The procedures that use open crocks indicate that the Kahm layer and any
associated rot must be removed regularly during the fermentation, to just scoop
out any yeasty and/or moldy growth. I tried to avoid this by purchasing a Harsch
crock. I made a large batch in my new Harsch crock, using the low salt recipe of
Kaufman & Schoneck's "making sauerkraut and pickled vegetables at home." It
included 1.5 tablespoons salt for 12 pounds of cabbage, but it was also
inoculated with 1 liter of whey, as directed. The sauerkraut itself did not
appear mushy or smell spoiled, but the brine in which the cabbage fermented
ultimately turned cloudy and viscous. Since I could not find any referenced
information indicating that this really poses a health hazard if consumed, I
decided to try my sauerkraut and the kraut itself was crisp and tasty sour.
After transferring it to a refrigerator for longer term storage, the brine has
lost its slime.
>
> Now, I am not recommending that you eat your kraut. I am merely relaying my
experience.
>
> Does anybody know if there are dipsticks for home use to detect botulinum
toxin?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Donna, Southern California
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>



--
Heather Twist
http://eatingoffthefoodgrid.blogspot.com/