In article ,
Ophelia wrote:
rjbl wrote:
Bit risky with native waterfowl - Cl. botulinum is endemic in most of
them - tastes nice but kills 80% of the infected consumers. Best to
stick to hygienic, farmed ducks.

Oh dear Well, admittedly we haven't shot and eaten Mallard, but we have
been ok with Teal.

You didn't actually BELIEVE that, did you? It was either irony or
bullshit.

Clostridium botulinum is widespread in the environment, and you are
almost certain to be exposed to it. Eating anything that has come
in contact with aquatic sediment (animal OR vegetable) may be the
best way to do so, but it's simplest to regard it as inevitable.

It can grow ONLY in fairly low acid, anaerobic conditions, which is
why home preservation of low acid foods is dangerous (of the sort
that excludes air). The toxin is also destroyed by cooking. This
bacterium is one reason that it is illegal for restaurants to put
uncooked meat (which may carry the spores) in the same refrigerator
as cooked meat (in which it may grow, and will be served without
further cooking).

Most people are in no danger from eating the spores, as it cannot
grow in the acidic conditions of their gut. Curiously, I am at more
risk than most people, as I am on proton pump inhibitors, but I
don't worry.

See Wikipedia.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.