Can pickling garlic cause botulism?
Good for her! Naturally fermented pickles are delicious and healthy. The reason you don’t have to worry about botulism with this process is that Clostridium botulinum (the bacterium responsible for botulism), is anaerobic, which means it cannot survive in the presence of air. The salt she adds will also inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, but does not affect the lactobacilli which create the pickling acid. If you’ve observed the fermenting vegetables, you’ll note what appears to be a slow fizzing or bubbling. This is the formation of carbon dioxide. Lactic acid is another by-product of this process and is the magic ingredient which turns a vegetable into a pickle ;). Most bacteria cannot survive in an acidic environment. In addition, when your mom stirs the vegetables, she is incorporating more air into the mix and releasing the excess pressure caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide. Botulism doesn’t have a prayer in this environment! When vegetables are put into oil, it’s a d
