Plantain oil....YUK!!...did something wrong.

[whitewolf55]

I filled a quart jar full of Plantain leaves and covered with olive oil "completely. Put to lid on jar and set up on a wood shelf for 6 weeks. Opened it to use to make salve and OMG !!! it smelled rotten literally. Got any ideas WHAT I did wrong. Made me sick that I wasted that much olive oil (since it cost the same as gold these days...lol). Any thought would be appreciated.

[Violet]

Yes, storing things in oil will grow botulism !!! Do NOT use it for anything.

Oil creates an anerobic condition, takes away the air from foods, herbs, etc. That is just the happy home for botulism.

This is why a person cannot keep garlic cloves or anything else in oil, not even in the fridge for more than a few days.

It is very dangerous.

Here is how to detoxify :

Disposing of Spoiled Home Canned Food

Don't taste or use canned food that shows any sign of spoilage. Look closely at all jars before opening them. A bulging lid or leaking jar are signs of spoilage. When you open the jar, look for other signs such as spurting liquid, an off odor or mold.

 

Spoiled canned foods should be discarded in a place where they will not be eaten by humans or pets. Spoiled low acid vegetables, meats and seafood should be detoxified to destroy any poisons that might be present, before being discarded.

 

To detoxify canned low acid foods that have spoiled, carefully remove the lid from the jar. Place the jar(s) of food and lids in a saucepot. (No need to remove the food from the jar -- removing it could contaminate other items.) Add enough hot water to cover the jar(s). Boil for 30 minutes and then cool. Drain water and dispose of food and lid. The jar may be reused.

 

Improperly canned low acid foods can contain botulism toxin without showing signs of spoilage. Low acid foods are considered improperly canned if any of the following are true:

 

The food was NOT processed in a pressure canner.

The gauge of the canner was INACCURATE.

Up-to-date researched processing times and pressures were NOT used for the size of the jar, style of pack, and kind of food being processed.

Ingredients were added that were NOT in an approved recipe.

Proportions of ingredients were CHANGED from the original approved recipe.

The processing time and pressure were NOT correct for the altitude at which the food was canned.

Because improperly canned low acid foods can contain botulism toxin without showing signs of spoilage, they should also be detoxified as directed above and then discarded.

 

Surfaces that come in contact with spoiled or questionable food should be cleaned with a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 5 parts water. Wet the surface with this solution and let stand 5 minutes before rinsing.

 

My additional note: If you splash this on you, it can contaminate you. Be really careful ! Even a pinpoint amount of botulism can wipe out a city. Honest.

 

 

 

 

[Stephanie]

This is some great information but scary!

[Mother]

Whitewolf, I am not sure what you did wrong. I have used this method for over forty years with good results, IN THE PAST, and I know many people use it with no problems and have for centuries. Yet, as Violet says, there can be a botulism threat in these oils. This is what the American Botanical Council says about it.

 

http://www.herbalgram.org/metabolicmainten...iew.asp?i=41450

 

I now use the hot oil method to infuse my oils and while I feel the cold method gives me more of the medicinal qualities from the herb there is no sense in exchanging those for safety.

 

Here is a good explaination of how to make herbal oils. You might want to note the author's name.

 

http://www.gaias-garden.co.uk/Herbs/HerbalOil.html

 

Hope this helps.

[whitewolf55]

Oh yea, Mother....I forgot allllll about writing that article....lol Seriously though....I haven't had this problem before either....oh yea..... WHEN I HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST. There was no mold just SMELL.....oh well thanks for ya'lls input.