Pureed roasted garlic

[shortamazon]

How long can pureed roasted garlic last in the freg? I have tons of it. Can it
frozen? Thanks for helping me out.


shortamazon

[phatch]

A week, give or take. Plenty of variables.

Freeze it. Not just in the freezer section of a refrigerator, but a true deep freeze. Should hold 6 months there.

Phil

[Suzanne]

I beg to differ. I made my current batch (about a pint) on 2/29/04, and it's still fine in the fridge. Almost used up, but fine. FWIW, I keep my fridge in the high 30s (F).

As with all condiments, keeping contaminants out is important for longer shelflife. Always use a clean spoon, don't let anything fall into it -- all the usual caveats.

If you do freeze it (nothing wrong with doing that), try putting it into small quantities -- the ice-cube tray trick, or a tablespoon or two in a snack bag.

[phatch]

I'm basing my opinion on Helen Witty's writings, largely because of the food poisoning risk. I don't know the exact percentages and they may be very low but I feel it's better to play it safe.

Suzanne's recommendation to freeze in small chunks is a good one.

Phil

[Suzanne]

If you're thinking of botulism -- Clostridium botulinum is anaerobic, but the garlic is both cooked AND exposed to air in storage, so it's less likely.

I don't mean to minimize the very real possibility of food-borne illness; it's just that my experience with roast garlic puree (both at home and at work where we would make 10 to 15 pounds at a time and hold it for several weeks) is one of safe, relatively longterm storage.

[phatch]

Certainly botulism is of vanishingly low risk unless oil is added to the storage, a frequent choice. Cooking only kills active botulinin and safely denatures the toxin if of the proper temperature and duration; the spores are still present and viable.

To me, it's more a matter of what is a generally good safe practice.

Phil

[shortamazon]

Love all the info. Right now I have bout..14-18 gallons of this stuff. I am
going to cube freez them etc and some will go in freg.

thanks for the great info!

shortamazon

[Anneke]

Originally Posted by phatch

Certainly botulism is of vanishingly low risk unless oil is added to the storage, a frequent choice. Cooking only kills active botulinin and safely denatures the toxin if of the proper temperature and duration; the spores are still present and viable.l

The last case of botulism around here was from a cooked potato. Heat kills bacteria, but does not necessarily deactivate toxins. I think it's an important distinction.