Am I just misunderstanding what people mean when they say it has anti microbial properties? Like, it’s hostile to most things but not all? I have no intention of feeding an infant honey, I was just wondering.
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Many bacteria can form spores that can’t multiply but are also largely immune to the world around them. Honey doesn’t have enough water for bacteria to multiply so it doesn’t go bad but still has some limited number of bacteria especially in spore form. What makes you sick from spoiled food is generally the toxic bacteria waste not the bacteria
In adults this isn’t a problem. Botulism spores enter, reach your stomach, bloom, and are promptly killed by the acidic hellscape they tried to call home
In young children their digestive tract isn’t hostile yet so the spores are eaten, bloom, and then multiply and begin releasing botulinum toxin giving the child botulism
The spores won’t proliferate in honey, but there can be enough present to harm something with as little mass as a newborn.
Thank you all, this is what I like best about this sub – awesome answers and an appreciative OP!
The sugar concentration is so high and water activity (ELI5 basically moisture content) is so low that microbes can’t grow in the honey. It doesn’t have any way of killing any bacteria that get into it.
Also, botulism is caused by the toxin produced by C. Botulinum, not by the bacteria itself.
My “I have no intention of feeding an infant honey” shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my shirt
Fun fact, botulism toxin in crystalline form is the most deadly toxin in the world. One gram of it can kill one million people. The LD50 is 1 to 3 nanograms/KG of body weight
So, what substances have anti-microbial properties in the honey? How potent are they?
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