SC - Mead

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/7/98 3:13:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
atargatis at hotmail.com writes:

<< Honey Mead, and thought it looked good.  I am hoping to make 
 it, but my boyfriend warned me about bacteria that can occur in the 
 fermenting process.  Has anyone made it before? >>

There are no known human pathenogens that can survive the fermentation
process. Perhaps your friend is referring to the honey itself which can ,
albeit rarely, contain salmaonella. Those particular beasties are killed in
the initial stages of the process. If your recipe does not call for heating
the honey, they will be destroyed anyway once the fermentation  is
accomplished. Methinks your friend may be one of those who believes all
bacteria are harnful.

There are many foodstuffs which are dependant on the action of bacteria and
molds. For example, buttermilk, yogurt, cheese, wine, beer, ale, mead, bread,
yeast paste, fish sauces such as Worchestershire, vinegar, soy paste, sour
cream, soy sauce, sauerkraut, murri, some forms of picles such as kosher dills
or icescicle pickle to name a few. 

The digestive process could not function properly without the armies of
bacteria that inhabit your intestinal tract as anyone who has went through a
regimen of anti-biotic treatments will attest to.

My advise is make your mead and, if your friend is that squeamish about the
presence of bacteria in food, find another friend to enjoy it with. :-)

Ras

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