How can baked potatoes cause botulism?
Because potatoes are grown in the ground, the spores that cause botulism can survive on them. The spores can grow on potatoes that are wrapped in foil, baked, and left in the foil for periods after baking. The foil creates an oxygen-reduced environment. This, coupled with warm room temperatures and moisture, create a prime environment for the bacteria to grow. Potatoes baked in foil and not immediately consumed should be removed from the foil and stored in the refrigerator. Source: http://www.extension.org/faq/2729. How should I pack a cooler when going on a barbeque? Preferably using two coolers, one with ready to eat foods such as fruits, vegetables, cold salads, etc, and the other with foods that need to be cooked further such as any poultry or meats. Both coolers should be packed with ice or some other cooling element. If two coolers are not available, pack poultry and meats on the bottom of the cooler placed in plastic bags, with the ready to eat foods on top, also in plastic bags
