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Wow! How did I get here?

Well, I came here looking for the answer to the same question, but there were quite a few interesting stops along the way.

Current scientific wisdom (in Australia, Canada and the USA, anyway!) suggests that C. botulinum cannot thrive (or, at least, cannot reproduce via spores) at a pH (acidity level) of 4.6 or lower.

Your average supermarket vinegar, which is a solution of around 4-6% acetic acid, is likely to have a much lower pH, around 2 point-something. Lower numbers, of course, mean greater acidity.

I read some old studies from the early years of the last century that said even a 1% solution of acetic acid is toxic to most'food poisoning' bacteria (but C. botulinum wasn't among those mentioned.)

Still, the answer must be a clear "YES".

PS: If you're making pickles, it might be best just to follow the currently accepted guidelines. There is a LOT of 'folk wisdom' out there that is just plain WRONG. When people mess with recipes based on such wrong info say, for example, adding some oil 'because it's a preservative', they sometimes poison themselves, by making it easier for the nasties to grow.

I hope this helps somebody. Thanks for reading.

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16y ago

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