[compost_tea] Hello ButchWASRe: MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of COMPOST TEAS

From: dkemnitz2000 <dkemnitz2000_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 00:00:45 -0000

---Butch, Please see below.Dennis Kemnitz



In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, soilfoodweb@a... wrote:
> It is possible to get a whole compost pile above the minimum
required 
> temperature, for the entire time period required, to kill human
pathogens. 

> The point is to get the temperature above a certain temperature,
for the 
> required period of time.  Not all of the pile will be above that 
temperature
> level all the time - the outside of the pile is not usually at 
temperature, but
> the inside of the pile must be, for the correct minimum time 
period. 

> Then you turn the pile.  So eventually, all material in the pile
gets  into
> the middle of the pile, and heats adequately for the minimum time 
required. 
> Therefore, thermal piles have to be turned, and turned on-time. 
The  mix of
> starting materials is critical to make sure adequate heat will be 
generated,
> for the time period required.  Different mixes result in 
different organisms
> and heating properties. 

> If worms are doing the work, then the worms turn the material, and
the  worms
> exit the human pathogens.  that's cold-composting.  As long as 
you have
> adequate concentration, or density, worms per amount of added
material,  the
> compost will be human-pathogen free. 

> Can we get pathogen-free piles?  We have lots of data showing
that 
> human-pathogens are not detectable when the piles are properly
composted. 

> Can piles be re-contaminated?  Sure, just like food can be
pathogen  free,
> and then, at a later time, be contaminated by someone with fecal 
material on
> their hands.  Compost piles can be contaminated after they are 
finished,
> especially if the pile lacks active biology. 

>
HELLO Butch;  Only problem here is that most milk IS pasteurized
which destroys enzymes(which we're not covering) and beneficial
microbes so the pathogens (if introduced later down stream)have no
competing Lactobacilli(unless Lactobacilli is/are re-introduced).
Much like compost and ACT, IMO,ie Wouldn't want to pasteurize
compost and ACT cause you'd destroy the "good guys"........ Course
when the dairy cows are walking around in mud covering the bottom of
the teats it's impossible to prevent the internal and external
contamination of the udder. Anywho Butch, I THINK required testing
of ACT for E.coli strain 0157 in compost  tea which is properly
manufactured is unreasonable; unnecessary. ACT ain't food.  Or food
ingredients. BTW, I was checking raw milk for  coliforms prior to
any E. coli 0157 outbreaks, back in 1978, and at that time mgmt
probably had a different attitude than today.

Dennis Kemnitz






Compost is like milk in that regard.  If you keep the milk cows
clean,  so
> the udders are not contaminated by pathogens, then the milk will
not get 
> contaminated by passage through the udder.  If the milking pail
is  contaminated,
> then the milk will get contaminated.  If the milk tank isn't 
properly
> maintained, the milk will get contaminated.  If the bottling
plant  isn't properly
> maintained, if the milk isn't kept refrigerated, if the glass you 
pour the milk
> in is not clean, if you stir the milk with a dirty  spoon......

> All these things can cause problems.  Just like milk, you  have to
take care
> to make sure compost does not  get re-contaminated.  Luckily, we
don't have to
> be quite as careful  with compost as we have to be with milk,
because there
> is a set of beneficial  organisms that should be in compost. 

> So, like compost, you take care, and testing is required to make
sure all  is
> being done correctly during the whole process of milk production. 
You  can
> still have problems, though if you let your children drink
straight from the 
> bottle, and back-wash occurs........

> Yum.  Wonderful topic to be discussing on Christmas Eve! 

> Happy holidays and may only beneficial critters surround  you!

> Elaine R.  Ingham
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Port  Jefferson, New York
> Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
> Soil Foodweb  Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
> Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan,  Mexico
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
> Soil Foodweb Inc., South  Africa




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Received on Mon Dec 27 2004 - 19:42:27 EST

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