[Johns_Gal]

Originally Posted by WaitPatientlyOnTheLord

Wouldn't boiling it (after it has been purchased pasteurized from the store) qualify as "processed"? I dunno, shes always done it and so has everyone she knew in India. I think that as people living in "first world countries" where we have ready access to everything we need tend to think thats the ONLY way to do things.

I guess I had read that the cans explode or leak generally if there is a problem such as bacteria in the food. I would believe that its not always visible or smellable/tasteable otherwise my friends neighbor would not have died.

No. Canning heats food to a high temperature and maintains it long enough to kill any bacteria (assuming proper amounts of acid are there). Honestly, just boiling food and using the food's heat to seal is little different than boiling food and pouring it in a tupperware, then setting it in the pantry.

Canning for a set amount of time at a set pressure is not the only way to do it. It is, however, the only way to be reaosnably sure you're not going to get very sick/die from ingesting a fatal nerve toxin. :/ Canning is something I don't take lightly at all; I'm no a stickler with most things, but canning, oh yes. Botulism won't just give you an upset stomach, it can kill you. Now that we have hospitals with respiratory support available, it's far less fatal than it once was, but no way amd I going to chance it.

I mostly water bath can, and I follow the directions to the letter. Canning is not an area to experiment, IMHO. If DS got botulism because I decided not to take every precaution I might never forgive myself.

Annnnd, this thread is why I do not eat other people's home canned foods unless I know they are as careful as I am. SOme people still water bath can MEATS and FISH. That's freaking scary.