Purdue University News Service
1132 Engineering Administration Building
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1132
(765) 494-2096
June 1999
Purdue Expert: Be More Concerned About Food Safety Than Y2K
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- You may have more to fear from home canning by novices than from Y2K computer crashes, says a Purdue University specialist.
Concerns about social and economic disruptions that might occur if computers crash at midnight on the last day of this year have prompted some people of both prudent and radical philosophies to investigate canning their own food. But Purdue Cooperative Extension Service foods and nutrition specialist Bill Evers says food preserved at home by inexperienced canners may be the more potent threat.
"Some people want to preserve their own food because they think that all of the supply and food delivery systems will fail at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day. We feel that the chance of food poisoning from home-preserved food is greater than the very, very unlikely chance of a collapse of the food delivery system," Evers says.
"In low-acid foods, essentially all non-fruits, the botulinum organism can grow and have a great time if it is not eliminated in the canning process. Canning requires pressure cooking with the proper canner at 10 pounds pressure to kill the organism and make food safe."
Evers points out that in addition to the danger of botulism, any food that is improperly handled is subject to growth of other food poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, all of which can cause serious sickness or death.
For those who are concerned abut Y2K, he recommends common-sense planning such as laying in a few days supply of some dried foods. "If a person wants to, he or she could keep some dried milk, cereal, bread and a few containers of water."
CFS-119, "Keeping Food Safe During Emergencies," and similar publications on canning and food safety are available from Purdue Extension county offices, via the Internet at http://www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/Pubs/cfs.htm#8 or toll-free at (888) EXT-INFO (398-4636).
CONTACT: Evers, (765) 494-8546; [email protected]
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