# Safe?



## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Are hot cherry peppers in oil that have not been canned safe to eat?! I never thought of it til now but my father in law and mother in law have always given us jars of them and I've eaten them no problem but now since I know more about canning procedures I'm afraid they're not safe to eat!


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## Clayjunky (Nov 23, 2016)

Countrygal23 said:


> Are hot cherry peppers in oil that have not been canned safe to eat?! I never thought of it til now but my father in law and mother in law have always given us jars of them and I've eaten them no problem but now since I know more about canning procedures I'm afraid they're not safe to eat!



If they are like the Italian hot cherry peppers I know, there's a bit of vinegar and garlic in the oil to offset spoilage. Kept in fridge though


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## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

Would need to know all the ingredients to say. They are a low-acid food so carry a risk of botulism. They would need to either be acidified, well fermented first, or pressure processed.

The approved recipes contain added lemon juice and/or vinegar and only limited amounts of oil. The use of oil in canning is severely limited by the guidelines because it can insulate bacterial spores and allow them to thrive. And if they were never processed, never "canned" then they would only be safe for fridge storage and for a limited time.

Approved recipe example you can compare them to: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/marinated_peppers.html


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## Clayjunky (Nov 23, 2016)

Come to think of how I've seen family do this, the peppers are jarred in just vinegar and garlic/spices for a few weeks or a month, then they are removed and put in oil. I'm guessing the vinegar permeates into the peppers and makes them pickled. I do know the jars all popped when open, so they must have been through a canning process. Be careful!


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Well that's scary, I've been eating them for years .. no they literally just boil the peppers for a few minutes pack them in jars and pour vegetable oil over them and spices and put lids on


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## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

Then may the force continue to be with you.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Botulism toxin poisoning from canned foods is comparatively rare. Problem is, it only takes once. Botulism spores are everywhere. They're in soil, on vegetation, in our guts. The spores aren't the problem. It's the toxin they produce when they live in an anaerobic (airless) environment. That's home canning.

If steps aren't taken to kill the spores either with high sugar or acid content or by pressure canning to a temperature long enough to sterilize the food, then botulism spores may live in your jars and produce toxin. The toxin kills by shutting down muscle movement. Not a fun way to go.

Home canning with oil, or canning very dense foods such as whole garlic cloves or pumpkin, are of particular risk. Oil added to food makes it very hard to get a good seal on the jars. Dense foods can't be heated to their interior to high enough temperatures even with pressure canning to ensure all botulism spores are killed. Consuming such home canned foods is a form of Russian Roulette. Lots of people will say things like, "Well, that's how my family always did it and they're fine!" I have no doubt that is true. Equally true is that they are taking an enormous, unnecessary risk.

Different people are comfortable with varying levels of risk. Me, I won't take the chance. If I can't boil it hard for 10 minutes to neutralize the toxin, then I follow my grandparents' excellent practice: After profusely thanking the giver for their kind generosity and after the givers leave, into the trash it goes. 

It's a little bit like someone handing you a gun. You always assume it's loaded, even if you're pretty sure it's not.


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Glad I know now!! Have some jars to toss tomorrow!


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Since I'm here, another question I have.. is this safe, slicing jalapeÃ±os placing In boiling vinegar water sugar and salt mixture and then turning off heat and letting sit for 15 minutes , then pouring it all into jar and placing lid and ring on?


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## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

No processing? How much vinegar and how much water? Has to be at least half vinegar. Then you'd have to put the jar into the fridge for storing, not on the shelf or not kept at room temperature. 

This is a form of what used to be called "open-kettle canning" and it's been UNapproved for many decades.


> _Why is open kettle canning not recommended?
> In open kettle canning, food is cooked in an ordinary kettle, then packed into hot jars and sealed without processing. The temperatures obtained in open kettle canning are not high enough to destroy all spoilage and food poisoning organisms that may be in the food. Also, microorganisms can enter the food when it is transferred from the kettle to jar and cause spoilage._


If you browse through the FAQs at NCHFP you'll find a wealth of information about all these old unapproved methods. http://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_canning.html


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Thanks!


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

I look at it this way,,, if I have eaten it for years and have never been sick from it give me some more . and they have ate it like that for what number of years with no problems but then I never at dates on a vof the goods I buy at the store rather , I look at it this way we never had them growing up and I am still alive , now they are rethinking them as a LOT of food is going to waste.


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## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

tom j said:


> I look at it this way,,, if I have eaten it for years and have never been sick from it give me some more . and they have ate it like that for what number of years with no problems but then I never at dates on a vof the goods I buy at the store rather , I look at it this way we never had them growing up and I am still alive , now they are rethinking them as a LOT of food is going to waste.


No need for waste Tom if it is just done correctly in the first place.  We don't really know how much illness may have resulted from past practices, but if you wish to continue with practices that are now deemed unsafe then that is your choice of course. I would just strongly encourage you to cook the food well before consuming it. May the force continue to be with you as well.


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## Lady89 (Feb 22, 2014)

Countrygal23 said:


> Since I'm here, another question I have.. is this safe, slicing jalapeÃ±os placing In boiling vinegar water sugar and salt mixture and then turning off heat and letting sit for 15 minutes , then pouring it all into jar and placing lid and ring on?


if you process the can after with either hot water or pressure canning yes, i have a similar recipe called cowboy candy. if not then it is only safe for refrigerator storage


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

The cowboy candy is more along the lines of a jam.. At least mine is. I do a hot water bath and they lids seal great.


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## Lady89 (Feb 22, 2014)

Echoesechos said:


> The cowboy candy is more along the lines of a jam.. At least mine is. I do a hot water bath and they lids seal great.


More then one thing by the same name


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