Re: [compost_tea] Sugars in CT and E. coli

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 09:41:53 EST

As the debate about sugar in tea heats up, please use this information:

SFI has just finished, and will report this at the Biocycle conference in
May:

Compost correctly made, without any E. coli present, will result in no E.
coli in the compost tea, REGARDLESS of AMOUNT OF MOLASSES.
Take home story: Get your compost maker to document that their compost is E.
coli free, and then there is no concern with E. coli. No manure in the
compost, no concern. You can add soluble anything to your heart's content!

Organic matter with E. coli - low levels of molasses and high levels of
molasses suppress E. coli. It's the mid-levels that are of concern, as the
tea dips to the lack of oxygen ranges.

We need to do testing on what happens to E. coli if it is present in poorly
made compost, gets into tea, and then is applied. How fast does E. coli get
taken out if it flies through the air and lands on a plant? The NOSB hasn't
even considered whether that might not be extremely detrimental to human
pathogens.......

With no data, how can they make up rules?

Elaine
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com
SFI Oregon, USA
SFI Australia
SFI New York
SFI Europe
SFI New Zealand




Received on Mon Mar 03 2003 - 11:20:51 EST

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