Date: 2017/12/03
Comment: This is a common mistake people make regarding botulism. You state, "In high-acid foods, such as tomatoes, fruit and pickles, the growth of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which is heat resistant, is prevented by the high acidity level or the acidity allows the botulism spores to be destroyed quicker when boiled. This allows them to be processed using a boiling-water-bath at 212°F." You actually have this backwards. It is the SPORES that need the super high heat of pressure canning to kill them so they can't produce the cells that turn to the deadly bacteria, which IS easy to kill with heat. This is why all home-canned low-acid foods should be boiled for 10 minutes before tasting or eating, because if the bacteria did grow in the low-acid anaerobic environment, they would be killed by boiling.
