Lewis Perin wrote:
> Warren > writes:
>
>> Dominic T. wrote:
>>> [...I'm leery of lots of fermentation processes...]
>> I've been doing that for many years with no ill effects... Kefir,
>> Mead, Beer, Yoghurt, and now I've been researching Kombucha to start
>> kitchen production as well. While I know there was a little tongue in
>> cheek in your response, you have to be pretty, um.... unsophisticated,
>> to not follow common sense sanitary protocols to end with a harmful
>> result. Even bad batches of beer won't kill you, just taste nasty.
>>
>> Frankly I've seen people eat things that I wouldn't go near with a ten
>> foot pole, but I've never had a problem with any of the fermented
>> foodstuffs I've made. Just my $0.03 (due to the weak US dollar).
>
> Look, I'm a fermentation fan myself, and I don't want to cause undue
> anxiety, but the fact that you don't get immediately sick from these
> things is only part of the story. There are fermentation byproducts
> that raise your chance of eventually getting cancer. Certainly not in
> all fermentation, but the potential danger is not to be dismissed
> airily. I'd love to call this off-topic, but it does happen in tea
> manufacture sometimes.
>
> /Lew
> ---
> Lew Perin /
> http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

I think a Kombucha discussion is on topic. But while I am familiar with
the esters, etc, that are produced in fermentation, when we're talking
Kombucha and other home fermented products, the levels are so low that
it's practically immaterial. And it's not like I distill my kombucha to
concentrate them, or drink gallons per day. While I understand your
concern, it doesn't seem like it's a big deal (to me at least).
Especially when there are populations of people who live to insane ages
while drinking kombucha daily, and haven't shown any increase in cancer.
They even credit their longevity to the consumption of kombucha and
kefir (though I can't say there is any definitive proof of that
relationship).

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