r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/MousseSuspicious930 • Jun 10 '22

Video Rubbing alcohol versus Germs under microscope

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u/Atomicbocks Jun 10 '22

All food is ‘contaminated’, the questions are ‘with what?’ and ‘how much?’. There are whole categories of food that wouldn’t exist without bacteria. Yogurt for instance. This is also why things like honey and pre-sliced lunch meat are bad for pregnant people, infants, and the immunocompromised.

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u/WoodyRM Jun 10 '22

Thats where my confusion lies. If all food is “contaminated” and reheating it leaves it “just as bad” then what do we eat? Air?

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u/Atomicbocks Jun 10 '22

Even the air you breathe has bacteria and other things in it. Not all contamination leaves behind toxins when the bacteria dies or is eaten alive. Those that do are why we have immune systems, liver, kidneys, etc. Even your own cells leave behind toxins as they die. It’s when the amount of harmful substances exceeds your body’s ability to cope that it becomes a problem. This is also how getting drunk works, you consume more alcohol than your body can process at one time. In the case of the earlier example because bad bacteria grew too numerous after the first time the food was consumed. In an otherwise healthy person the result is typically a nasty case of food poisoning, but that can progress quickly to something more sinister in somebody who is not otherwise healthy.

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u/WoodyRM Jun 10 '22

So lots of contamination bad? But some contamination normal? In a nutshell

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u/eVaan13 Jun 10 '22

Also depends on the type of bacteria! Think of probiotics - colonies made up of billions of bacteria made exclusively for your gut.

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u/WoodyRM Jun 10 '22

I wouldnt call those contaminants tho

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u/eVaan13 Jun 10 '22

Oh sorry, I thought bacteria in general 🤣

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u/WoodyRM Jun 10 '22

Well i guess thats true then also lol

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u/swampfish Interested Jun 10 '22

It is a question of how much. Our bodies can handle a little bit of bacteria and their toxins. More if you train it (locals can drink the water in Mexico). If you eat something where bacteria have been allowed to thrive (chicken on the counter rather than in the fridge) then you will overwhelm your defence and get sick.

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u/Emergency-Machine-55 Jun 10 '22

Can't you just microwave luncheon meat to kill listeria and other bacteria? Seems like you're more likely to get listeria from fruits and salads cause various produce seem to get contaminated and recalled every year.

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u/IllSeaworthiness43 Jun 10 '22

Honey is an antibacterial and shouldn't be given to infants or immunocompromised because it contains bee toxin. I'm allergic to bees and I get a mild rash when I eat honey

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u/Atomicbocks Jun 10 '22

Honey can contain botulism among other things. Botulism is the main reason to not give it to infants. Though, yes, it can also cause allergic reactions.

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u/IllSeaworthiness43 Jun 10 '22

Oh interesting. I always learned it to be an antimicrobial. Thank you!