Roskachestvo warned about the dangers of improper harvesting of homemade pickles

Improper preparation for the preservation of homemade pickles can lead to health problems, Elena Specenko, head of the Roskachestvo Food Safety Competence Center, told Izvestia on August 2.

"The main danger of home preservation is botulism, severe food poisoning, which can be fatal. Many people are sure that if the jar is not swollen, then the product is safe. This is a dangerous misconception — the causative agent of botulism develops without air access and does not change the taste or appearance of the product," the specialist warned.

Basic safety rules begin with careful preparation. All vegetables and fruits should be rinsed under running water with a brush, and jars and lids should be sterilized for at least 10-15 minutes. Special attention should be paid to mushrooms, they are the ones that most often cause poisoning. Canned vegetables can also be dangerous — cucumbers, zucchini or eggplant require the addition of vinegar or citric acid.

"It is necessary to store homemade preparations in a cool place at a temperature not higher than + 6 degrees. Even properly prepared canned food can become dangerous if kept warm. Special care should be taken with stew and other canned meat — it is better to cook them in an autoclave or to abandon home cooking altogether," Specsenko summed up.

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Experts advise taking into account the glycemic index of foods.

Economist Dmitry Morkovkin said on July 2 that early watermelons can be dangerous to health, as some Russian farmers abuse various fertilizers for their growth. According to him, safe Russian watermelons appear in late July and early August, and early specimens are considered not very useful due to the use of accelerated cultivation technologies using growth stimulants.

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