Scout Canning, a Toronto business specializing in canned seafood products, has responded to a recent controversy regarding a YouTube video from Bon Appetit they were featured in.
On Jan. 23, Bon Appetit’s wildly popular YouTube channel posted a new episode of their regular segment ‘It’s Alive’ with test kitchen favourite Brad Leone. The video featured chef Charlotte Langley, co-founder of Scout, where she shows Leone the ropes when canning seafood products.
Bon Appetit removed the video from their channel earlier this month after experts warned viewers of the potential of botulism that could result from the information showcased in the episode. Langley and Leone practiced canning techniques using the ‘water-bath canning’ method. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines suggest that low-acid foods, such as seafood and other meat proteins, should only be canned using a proper pressure canner. Experts and seasoned home-canners cringed as the two did the opposite.
Pressure canners have the ability to bring the temperature much higher than water-baths, which kill any lingering bacteria in the process. Langley is shown in the video saying that the jars must climb up to 240 degrees, which is an unattainable temperature in a water bath. This step is necessary when there is an absence of any preservatives, such as vinegar or high amounts of salt.
Langley wrote in a statement claiming that some of their procedures were skewed through Bon Appetit’s video editing.
"Unfortunately, there were some key safety measures that were recorded but which did not make the final edit," she says. "Your safety is our utmost priority when enjoying seafood at home and this segment missed that mark."
Bon Appetit also apologized on their YouTube channel’s community board, disclosing that they had inaccurately showcased the process of canning seafood.
“We made a mistake, and we promise to learn from it,” the post reads.
Home-canning, as Langley puts it, is a “complex process that needs to follow these specific USDA and Health Canada guidelines.” She claims that Scout’s products are fully certified and federally inspected across their entire chain from supplier to production to sale, and are crafted following all guidelines laid out by food safety officials.
“Our mission is to become North America's most trusted seafood brand,” she says. “We are sorry for the confusion the content may have caused and we have certainly learned from this.”
Scout is a national brand that ships across Canada and the US. Their products can be found at countless retailers in Ontario, including smaller specialty markets and larger, popular grocers like Farm Boy.
