Three attendees at a private gathering in Oregon were hospitalized in July 2012 after eating home canned beets. The beets had not been canned properly. The beets had been placed into jars, heated in a boiling water bath, and then stored at room temperature. The lack of oxygen, low-acid environment, and room temperature creates ideal conditions for Clostridium botulinum spores to germinate and produce the toxin. The only way to do this in a home kitchen is through the use of a pressure canner.