Botulism and Salt

Hi, I am looking online everywhere and I am wondering at what % salt content can you stop botulism bacteria and prevent botulism toxins from being created. I am looking to make home made fish sauce/garums.

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FrankM_3301

According to Katz, in his book "The Art of Fermentation," most modern styles of fish sauce use no less than 25% salt (by weight), and some use considerably more. Ancient Roman recipes used much less salt...15%. He also quotes the "International Handbook of Foodborne Patogens", which states that 10% salt is enough to prevent the risk of botulism in fish in "the aqueous phase" at room temperature. So, not an exact number, but it should help you make some decisions.

FrankM_3301

If you are in NYC, @Chris_Ting_455903 :

https://www.mofad.org/events/2018/9/7/worth-its-salt-the-breathtaking-world-of-fish-sauce

Francois_346702

Bacteriae can resist to salt, even enriched brines, or high temperature... Remember they are the first life forms on earth and can resist very weird conditions, so in theory, salt does not prevent totally from botulism, watever the concentration. Nitrite salt does (but let's not enter in that debate - If interested, there is an interesting paragraph on that in The Modernist Cookbook). Or sterilisation. So no real recommandation here. I never did fish sauce. On the other hand I stopped using nitrite salt to dry meat for example. Although in France there are more cases of botulism from home made dry meat than baddly-made vegetable jars... for a total of 20 cases per year, so well... you should be safe?... ;-)

Oh, and yes, Romans were using less salt, but were dying younger too ;-)... OK they were also using a lot of lead, though ;-)...

Just thoughts...