Garlic with a side of botulism

About a year ago I removed the dry skin of a garlic bulb and separated all the pieces. Then I dropped it into a small bottle and filled it with extra virgin olive oil. I just left this in the spice rack we have in the kitchen. Over time, I finished using the garlic infused olive oil on salads, eggs, sandwiches and whatever else I fancied the flavor of garlic infused oil. I also ate the pieces of garlic. I was just reading another blog when I came across an entry about placing infused olive oil in the refrigerator and removing the garlic least I get foodbourne botulism! Apparently garlic can be a breeding ground for the bacteria that causes botulism. That just sucks! I'll be a lot more careful next time I try this.