Home canning can be a great way for people to enjoy their favorite fruits and vegetables even when those foods are out of season. When foods are not in season, they may not be as readily available at the grocery store as they are when they’re in season. Home canning can help ensure such foods are available year-round. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that consuming incorrectly canned foods can increase a person’s risk for botulism, a serious from of food poisoning that can lead to paralysis or even death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that botulism is rare, but that does not mean it should not be taken seriously. Botulism is most commonly produced by a germ found in the soil that can survive, grow and produce a toxin in certain conditions. Improperly canned foods are one such condition. The toxin produced by the germ that causes botulism is not visible and does not produce a taste or smell, which only underscores how important it is that home canning is done properly. Proper canning techniques and safety tips can be found at www.fda.gov, and the National Center for Home Food Preservation offers a free home canning guidebook for download at https:// nchfp.uga.edu/publications/ publications_usda.html.

Botulism causes different symptoms than other foodborne illnesses, and it’s imperative that anyone planning to can their own foods learns to recognize the signs of botulism. The appearance of any of the following symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.

· Double vision

· Blurred vision

· Drooping eyelids

· Slurred speech

· Difficulty swallowing

· Dry mouth

· Muscle weakness

Home canning can be a great way to enjoy your favorite foods year-round. Ensuring foods are properly canned and all safety procedures are strictly followed is necessary when canning foods at home.