Take note of the following when storing your spices in oil.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: YOU CAN BE POISONED IF YOU STORE RAW GARLIC OR ONION IN OIL.
Cooking oil is purified
fat of
plant or
animal origin, which is liquid at room temperature.Oil can be flavoured by immersing aromatic food stuffs such as fresh herbs, peppers and so forth in the oil for an extended period of time. However, care must be taken when using garlic and onions to prevent the growth of
Clostridium botulinum (the
bacterium which causes
botulism) in this medium.
Never EVER store garlic in olive oil at room temperature or leave garlic in oil to sit on the counter. Because garlic is grown in the ground it is frequently contaminated with botulism spores, which are almost impossible to remove. These are harmless in their normal state, but because they are an anaerobic bacteria they will grow if the conditions are 'right' - i.e. submersed in oil and stored at room temperature.
Source:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:GarlicWhole head of garlic can also be stored in an open garlic basket on the kitchen counter or in mesh bags kept hanging.Just don't put your garlic somewhere warm like on top of the counter above the dishwasher.Or break down the garlic, unpeeled them and chopped in pieces and kept in containers with lid and keep in fridge.If garlic begins to sprout or go soft then it is past its prime. Throw it out.
