Re: [CH] preserving in honey
Ron M (swamp@netten.net)
Wed, 29 Jul 1998 23:00:50 -0500
The problem with Clostridium botulinum spores in honey with regard to babies
is this. Babies don't have fully developed normal flora in their intestinal
tract and therefore the C. botulinum has less competition for the nutrients
necessary for it's growth. In older children and adults the C. botulinum
doesn't get a chance to become established since it is vastly out-numbered
by the normal flora. The toxin isn't produced until the C. botulinum becomes
established.
Since I'm so far off topic, I might as well link the already mentioned fact
about the high concentration of sugar on honey making it a good preservative
for food and why botulism is a problem. The relative concentrations inside
and outside of the bacterial cell walls are effective against many types of
bacteria, but C. botulinum defeats this because it forms spores and can lay
dormant for a long time, years in fact, and will re-animate when conditions
are favorable, such as in an infant's intestinal tract.
Having said that, I'll lunge back towards the proper topic and say that I
plan to try this honey deal soon, when I think I have a couple of just the
right shade of deep-orange, perfectly formed habs from my patch.
Andie Paysinger wrote:
> Honey itself can contain very small amounts of botulin toxin. That is
> why honey is not recommended for babies. There was a news story about
> two years ago regarding this. older children and adults are not
> affected by the toxin. The bacteria grows where it is shut away from
> oxygen and acid. "Anerobic"
>
Unknown:
"People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's
safer to harass rich women
than motorcycle gangs."