Warning from Snopes about Baking Mixes

Hello, All,

This was sent out as a warning for people who have mold allergies. I cut and pasted from this site.

"It is possible for someone who chows down on pancakes made from a mix that has sat around too long to suffer a potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction to the molds that have grown therein. We know this to be so because it has happened before, and the resultant death was documented.

In 2001, two pathologists practicing in Charleston, South Carolina, reported on an unnamed 19-year-old who died in such a manner. While home on vacation from college, the victim, a young man with a history of allergies (including mold), polished off two pancakes made from a packaged mix that had sat open in a kitchen cabinet for about two years — even though his two friends stopped eating their portions, complaining that the griddlecakes tasted like rubbing alcohol. Very quickly thereafter, while watching television, the ill-fated collegian experienced shortness of breath that was not relieved by his inhaler. He asked his friends to take him to a clinic not far from the home, and he was reported to have turned a bit blue from lack of oxygen (i.e., became cyanotic) during the ride. While he did manage to walk into the clinic on his own, once inside he suddenly collapsed in cardiopulmonary arrest. He failed to respond to resuscitative efforts and was pronounced dead.

The cause of his death was determined to be anaphylaxis due to an allergic reaction to molds.

Anaphylaxis is a rapidly developing immunologic reaction that occurs when those who have allergies come in contact with the substances they are allergic to. When it kills, it does so by triggering fatal respiratory or cardiac arrest.

The pancake mix that delivered a toxic payload was analyzed and found to contain four rather nasty molds: Penicillium, Fusarium, Mucor, and Aspergillus. The decedent had not been allergic to eggs (which are a component of pancakes), so there was no doubt as to which allergy had killed him. It had been mold, and nothing but.

There was a death, and it had been due to ancient pancake mix. Or, rather, to an allergic reaction to the mold that had grown in the stale pancake mix.

It needs be kept in mind there is nothing inherently toxic about pancake mix that has passed its freshness date, the product's getting old does not transform it into a poison, nor does the growth of mold within opened boxes of flapjack powder turn it into something that will fell all who ingest it. Only those who have allergies to mold are at risk, and even then, for the pancake mix to pose a hazard it has to contain mold spores, not just be over the hill.

For mold to gain access to a food product, the foodstuff has to be exposed to its spores. Pancake mix cocooned in an unbleached wax paper, plastic, or a foil pouch within its outer packaging wouldn't have this contact and should still be safe no matter how old it gets. However, mix sold unpouched in cardboard boxes or paper sacks would likely be at risk even if the box or sack hadn't previously been opened, because such packaging would not necessarily keep dampness out, and mold thrives in damp environments.

What does all this mean? If you don't have a mold allergy, you needn't fear your pancake mix; if you do have such a sensitivity, you shouldn't keep your flapjack makings around for a few years after opening the box or pouch it came in. It's not worth dying over 50¢ worth of pancake mix, so when in doubt, throw it out."

Food storage tips from Church

A new approach to self-reliance has been outlined for us published in the pamphlet "All is Safely Gathered In:  Family Home Storage":

1.  Gradually build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet until it is sufficient for three months.  

2.  Store drinking water.  

3.  Establish a financial reserve by setting aside a little money each week and gradually increase it to a reasonable amount.  

4.  Once families have achieved the first three objectives, they are counseled to expand their efforts, as circumstances allows, into a supply of long-term basic foods such as grains, legumes and other staples.  

"Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their . . . supply of food . . . and were debt-free.  Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse:  they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food-free."  -President Thomas Monson

Three great resources for Gardening

Hi girls,

 I thought I would pass on to you three of my favorite gardening resources:

1.  Pat Welsh's "Southern California Gardening - A Month-by-Month Guide" book

2.  Garden Compass radio show broadcasts every Sat. and Sun. mornings 8-10 a.m.  on 1700 AM.  You can also receive a live stream on your computer at www.sandiego1700.com

Old shows can be listened to as well.  Just google "Garden Compass" and there is a host of information there as well as resources.  

3.  Cedros Gardens:  330 South Cedros in Solana Beach, 92075.  They have a bunch of organic stuff and fabulous classes on-going most Sat.  I'm going to be attending a tomato class Mar 21, a herb container class, Mar 28, a summer veg. gardening class April 11 and a tree planting class April 25.  If anyone wants to join me.  These are all free.  Check out their website by googling Cedros Gardens.  

Provident Living Advice in the Ensign

From the Church Handbook of Instructions we learn:  "The Savior has commanded the Church and its members to be self-reliant and independent . . .  To become self-reliant, a person must work.   Work is physical, mental or spiritual effort.  It is a basic source of happiness, self-worth and prosperity.  Through work, people accomplish many good things in their lives . . .As people become self-reliant, they are better prepared to endure adversities and are better able to care for others in need. "  

President Marion G. Romney taught:  "Without self-reliance one cannot exercise these innate desires to serve.  How can we give if there is nothing there?  Food for the hungry cannot come from empty shelves.  Money to assist the needy cannot come from an empty purse.  Support and understanding cannot come from the emotionally starved.  Teaching cannot come from the unlearned.  And most important of all, spiritual guidance cannot come from the spiritually week.  

Check out the great articles in February 2009's Ensign on Provident Living.  

Garden Tour 2/21 at Sherrie Wall's with Ryan Jacobson

Well I had a great time at Sherrie's home learning more about gardening from our knowledgeable gardening expert, Ryan Jacobson.  Thank you Sherrie and thank you Ryan.  He even taught us how some plants can gather minerals from the air if the soil doesn't provide them what they need.  

Here's what I learned from the gathering:  

1.  Before I begin gardening I should test my soil so see what grows best in my soil.  You can get soil testing kits on line or possibly at Cedros Gardens in Solana Beach.   (The kits should include a list of plants matched up with the soil they like).  

2.  Container gardening requires a denser soil that regular in-house potting soil.  A patio planters mix would be a better choice.  Container gardening needs to be fertilized more often.  Containers should not sit in water for long.  

3.  I need to choose smaller tomatoes to garden as I might have micro-climates in my garden that aren't as warm as other gardens

4.  To keep my soil warm I can put plastic down or dress it with mulch materials.

5.  My compost shouldn't smell bad.  

6.  Ryan pronounced my avacado tree officially dead.  I am going to plant one in a less congested place next go around.  

If anyone else learned something I missed, I would love reading your post.  

Recap of our Provident Living Group Meeting 2/11/09

Definition of Provident: having or showing foresight, providing carefully for the future. (Thank you Teri Summerhays!)

Goals: To motivate one another to starting and maintaining a garden. We can share knowledge and experience with gardening as well as food storage and Emergency preparation. To encourage each other to start/continue with our preparation on the road to self-reliance.

We will have discussions as well as demonstrations, and field trips to homes where gardening has been successful. We will share resources and invite guest “experts” to share their insights into the four areas we want to explore. (Gardening, Food Storage, Emergency Measures, Financial Security)

Some of the ways we can accomplish our goals are:

The following group get-togethers were calendered:

March 12 – 10-12 Heidi Jenson’s home. We’ll discuss Heidi’s garden experiences and show a great Food Storage video of a presentation by Wendy DeWitt, one of the church’s representatives in the southwest on preparedness. We will also discuss gardening questions, and insights.

April 23 – 10-12 Nancy Ross’ home. We’ll discuss Nancy’s gardening and she will provide a demonstration of dry pack bottling of grains and other food items. She will also give us a demonstration on 72-hour kits.

May 14 – 10-12 Christine Francis’ home. We’ll discuss Christine’s gardening and have a citrus and fruit tree care and planting demonstration. Questions and answers to follow.

Topics to calendar:

-canning at the cannery or in someone’s home (Heidi Jenson to research)

-Financial Security expert – (Sherrie Wall to research). We will probably invite husbands as well to an evening lecture.

Subjects to consider for discussion/demonstration:

-plannning your garden, composting, soil prep, pest and animal control, rotating crops, raised beds and container gardening, watering effectively
-General Food storage (what to store, shelf life on foods, etc.)
-cooking with food storage (solar ovens, Dutch ovens, etc.)
-rotating food
-storing non-food items – medicines, alternative medicines, lighting/heat
-water storage (filters)
-shelving/container storage
-evacuation plans
-local growers
-bees, hens and other farm animals
-making sour dough bread, cheese, yogurt, etc.