More Recipes from Our Friends: Botulism said risk in cookbook recipe

Fran Maxwell, WSU Whitman County Master Food Preserver, alerted the Gazette last week that a recipe for pumpkin jar bread in the Friends of the Library’s “More Recipes from Our Friends” cookbook presents the potential for botulism poisoning.

Maxwell said the pH level, the amount of moisture and the airless environment of canned breads is in the right range for the growth of the C. botulism toxin to form a potent toxin.

“It’s a wonderful recipe. I’m probably going to make it,” said Maxwell. “I just won’t can it.”

Library director Kristie Kirkpatrick said the library appreciates Maxwell bringing the potential danger to their attention.

With more than 800 recipes in the cookbook, Kirkpatrick said the library never thought about potential safety issues that could arise in a book of volunteer-submitted recipes.

Michael Baker, environmental health specialist with the county Health Department, said the recipe sends up “red flags” for botulism poisoning.

He said home canning always presents a safety risk, but the combination of ingredients in a bread leaves a greater opportunity for danger.

Baker warned to follow safe food preservation techniques when making any recipe from a community cookbook.

Baker advised anyone who has a question about food preservation to look up canning information in the state department of health’s web site.

He added WSU’s food science laboratory will observe recipes and test them for toxins on a donation basis.

Kirkpatrick said future cookbooks issued by the library will likely include a disclaimer.