14 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 372, 



partment of Agriculture, gives full directions for the processing of home- 

 canned foods by steam pressure. Tables are included which give the 

 proper time and temperature for processing different kinds of fruits, vege- 

 tables, and meats. 



Professor Tanner (24) of the University of Illinois has stated emphat- 

 ically that steam-pressure sterilization is the only safe method for 

 processing home-canned non-acid vegetables and meats. He states that 

 between 1925 and 1935 (the date of the publication of his article) no out- 

 breaks of botulism were caused by factory-canned foods in America. 

 He adds: "Non-acid vegetables and meats should be processed only under 

 steam pressure, and not in the oven or boiling water bath"; and he states 

 further that relatively few of the state extension services have seen fit 

 to recommend pressure sterilization, even though authorities recognize 

 its importance, even its necessity, for the sake of safety 



The seriousness of the menace of botulism is commonly recognized 

 in the Rocky Mountain states and farther west, but there is a feeling of 

 security in the eastern states because few outbreaks have been reported 

 in that section. Enough outbreaks have ])een reported from Atlantic 

 Coast states, however, to indicate that danger is not lacking. The fatality 

 rate from botulism anywhere is so high that it seems unwise to take any 

 risk from the use of inadequate sterilizing procedures. 



Botulinus toxin can be neutralized by heat, and the thorough boiling 

 of all home-canned foods before they are eaten provides an additional 

 safeguard against danger. Such cooking will also destroy- other bacteria 

 that might be able to cause trouble. It is unfortunately true that canned 

 food may contain a deadly amount of toxin without there being any 

 "off" taste or odor, or other evidence of spoilage. The botulinus toxin 

 is so deadly that even a mere touching of the tongue to infected food 

 has been known to result in fatal poisoning. 



An antitoxin has been developed for immunization against botulinus 

 poisoning. It does not seem to be very effective when it is used on a 

 person in whom symptoms have already developed, but it is usually 

 given in the hope that it may do some good; and there is little else that 

 can be done. When a case of botulism develops in one or two of a group 

 of people, and others maj^ have eaten the infected food, the antitoxin is 

 given as a preventive measure, and seems to be effective. 



TRICHINOSIS 



Trichinosis, also called trichinelliasis, is not caused by bacteria, but 

 since it is a disease contracted from food, it seems logical to make some 

 mention of it in this bulletin. The disease is caused by a round worm 

 almost microscopic in size. Tanner (16) states that practically all of 

 the outbreaks reported have come from pork. Of the meats eaten by man, 

 pork seems to be the only kind that transmits the disease. The parasite 

 exists in the larval form in the muscle of the hog. These larvae are 

 surrounded l)y gelatinous capsules, and when a person eats infected pork 

 the capsules are dissolved and the larvae are set free in the stomach. 

 The larvae then enter the intestines where, in about two days, they 

 develop into mature worms. The females produce man}' young each, and 

 deposit them as embryos directly into the intestinal lining. The young 

 larvae invade the blood stream and finally get into the muscles where 

 they become imbedded and surrounded by their capsules as they were 

 in the muscles of the hog. 



