Hard Red Winter Wheat

[hagbard]

So I have a question. I was reading the LDS site, and they warn that if the grain isn't fully dry and you take the oxygen out, you risk Botulism. How do you know if the grain is dry enough to store?

http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7532-1-4063-1,00.html

[Monel]

Bulk grain is dried in grain driers before is is stored in silos. The grain you get in bulk has been dried for storage. As long as it has not been exposed to a lot of moisture it should be fine. Always be alert and look at any grain to be sore it is not moldy! Never eat moldy grain.

[hagbard]

Well, here's the problem with that. Bot doesn't make its presence known...its tasteless, orderless and shows no visual signs. Haven't heard of anyone getting bot from grain, but then, how long have people been putting grain in mylar bags and tossing in oxygen absorbers?

At this point, I think I'll just store wheat and corn in plastic buckets and not worry about how long it will last, it will likely last ten years just like that. Not sure what'd do about oats.

[Klayton]

@hagbard (well @everybody actually, hehe)

Most people think botulism is a food-borne illness, but there are actually three different types of botulism. There is food-borne botulism that is usually caused by improperly canned foods, infant botulism and wound botulism. All three types of botulism are easily prevented.

Avoid feeding honey to infants younger than 12 months old to prevent infant botulism. Honey can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum. When given to an infant under 12 months of age, the spores stay in the intestines where they give off toxins and cause botulism.

Prevent wound botulism by caring properly for wounds. Wound botulism occurs when an open wound becomes infected with Clostridium botulinum, which is naturally occurring in soil. If you have a wound, wash it well with soap and water, use an antibiotic ointment such as Bacitracin and cover it with a bandage. If the wound appears to be infected, see your doctor immediately.

Can your low-acid garden produce using a pressure canner, not a water-bath canner. Follow only tested recipes in home-canning manuals such as the Ball Blue Book of Home Canning, and follow the directions to the letter. Low-acid foods, such as green beans, beets and squash offer the perfect breeding ground for Clostridium botulinum when improperly canned.

Boil home-canned foods for at least 10 minutes before eating to kill any botulism toxins that may be present
Home-canning is a lost art that is enjoying a resurgence as more people start home gardens. While home-canned goods are a leading cause of foodborne botulism, done properly, home-canning provides excellent, wholesome nutrition. To learn more about proper home-canning techniques, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation's (NCHFP) website. The NCHFP offers an online home-canning safety course.

~~hope this helps~~
~Klayton

[hagbard]

Boil and can your wheat? ;)


BTW, some interesting info on storing wheat from the Utah State University:

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN-371.pdf

[Klayton]

LOL hagbard

it says before eating, and since the normal botulinum hazard item is something you can boil, the safety statement says boil, for us preppers, BAKING your bread should wipe out any possible botulinum toxins...

:)

[hagbard]

That works before the spores release their toxin. If the bot bacteria is killed before you store, all is good. But if you store your food without destroying the bot, then its too late. So, you're still exposed to the poison even if you make your wheat into bread.

[Klayton]

HMMM, maybe my research is different then yours?

In Accordance With:
Irving, William; Boswell, Tim; Dlawer, Ala'Aldeen (2005). "Section C: Human pathogens: bacteria; C14: Clostridia". Instant Notes: Medical Microbiology. New York: Taylor & Francis. p. 160. ISBN 978-1859962541. http://books.google.com/?id=pg9HinBo-4cC.

[U][B][COLOR="red"]"Botulinum toxin is denatured at temperatures greater than 60

[Klayton]

Oh, there is an old crime story of the Mrs using botulinum to "unknowingly" kill her husband... HEHE man do I love science! :)

[Lacey]

Where do you get wheat berries for those of us who don't live near LDS?

[Tofu]

You can try feed stores, but you have to be careful you getting nothing but wheat. They usually mix it with other things for feed purposes. There are other sources out there (Blue Bird Grains), but you have to pay for the shipping.

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Where do you get wheat berries for those of us who don't live near LDS?

Try here http://www.jrhenterprises.com/produc...&categoryId=14

Support the sponsor of the board. That is a year supply, 315 lbs, for $269.95

[Tofu]

Lacey: How far are ya from OKC? It might be worth your while to make a road trip.

Excellent suggestion Patriotic Sheepdog .86 a pound is much cheaper than what I reccomended.

[hagbard]

[QUOTE=Klayton;10016]HMMM, maybe my research is different then yours?

In Accordance With:
Irving, William; Boswell, Tim; Dlawer, Ala'Aldeen (2005). "Section C: Human pathogens: bacteria; C14: Clostridia". Instant Notes: Medical Microbiology. New York: Taylor & Francis. p. 160. ISBN 978-1859962541. http://books.google.com/?id=pg9HinBo-4cC.

[U][B][COLOR="red"]"Botulinum toxin is denatured at temperatures greater than 60

[abraham.a]

The best I could do was get the wheat to come out with the consistency of corn meal. Gave it a go anyway, made a very nice bread