[Herbalist] Bacteria - additional note

[foxryde]

--
I want to also point out, while I am addressing my herb list buddy Jadwiga
with my first "you", the rest of the "you"s are general.  <grin>  I do not
want to be seen as singling out any one's kitchen or refrigerator in
particular, especially since mine are in such a mess right now!

All the best,
Leonora

At 01:10 PM 2/6/03 -0700, you wrote:
>--
>While I appreciate your comments about yummy garlic oil (make and use right
>away), the issue I was addressing was bacterial growth in water and oil
>mixes.  I was talking about creams or lotions (water or water infusion,
>oil, beeswax and some emulsifier).
>
>Dry conditions do not encourage bacterial growth.  Wet conditions do - if
>they are also oxygenated the aerobic bacteria grow, if not anaerobic
>bacterial grow (which includes botulism).
>
>There are tons of bacteria, funguses (fungi?), viruses and germs floating
>in the air, living happily in you, and in everything in your
>refrigerator.  No matter how clean your kitchen, they will get in your
>products.  Unless you work in a clean room - even then they struggle with
>contamination.
>
>This is not to say don't make things!
>
>I make a living making things.  I sell them to hundreds of happy people.  I
>don't use preservatives.  I sell them to people who know I don't.  I do use
>antioxidants.  I expect a year of shelf-life from most of my products.  I
>don't sell lotions or cremes because I don't want to work with
>preservatives and I don't want to sell bacterial factories.  I do sell oil
>only balms.  I only work with dried herbs.  I triple strain my oils before
>using them to reduce the amount of organic material in my balms.
>
>There is a lot of research going on to find a natural preservative
>(introduced buggie killer).  I am currently about 6 months out of date due
>to overwhelming work pressures.  I plan to catch up after Estrella.  I will
>let folks know if I find anything out.
>
>I gotta go get to work,
>
>Hope all this helps,
>Leonora
>
>At 01:23 PM 2/6/03 -0500, you wrote:
>
> > > Any time you add oil and water together, it has the potential to spoil in
> > > very nasty anaerobic ways.  Remember all the flap about garlic oils a few
> > > years ago, serious botulism infestations.
> >
> >Actually, the trouble there was NOT water, it was the garlic introducing
> >botulism spores into the anerobic environment of the oil. That's why
> >homemade flavored oils are now considered only safe if you make them by
> >hot infusion and use them right away- the lack of water, or not, doesn't
> >significantly help with the botulism.
> >
> >Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise        jenne at mail.browser.net
> >"I postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by
> >giving, by losing." -- Anais Nin
> >
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> >
> >
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>Fox Ryde Gardens - Handmade herbal products for bath, body, & spirit
>7743 West First Street
>Loveland, CO 80537
>970/669-3835
>Visit our website: http://www.foxryde.com
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Fox Ryde Gardens - Handmade herbal products for bath, body, & spirit
7743 West First Street
Loveland, CO 80537
970/669-3835
Visit our website: http://www.foxryde.com

If you can't be a good example, then  you'll just have to be a horrible
warning.
  -Catherine Aird
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