Fruit Juice Cordials Kill Bacteria

Have you heard of fruit juice cordial can cure diarrhoea? I read an article some years ago that a team of research scientists has made a chance discovery that fruit cordial will convert bacteria-contaminated water into safe drinking water.

The scientists have found that ordinary fruit juice, bought in the supermarkets or grocery store will kill vibrio-cholerae bacteria, salmonenlla and E-coli bacteria.
They stumbled on the killing effect of cordial while testing cordials to see whether they would grow bacteria causing intestinal infections. They found the revese. Vibrio-cholerae bacteria cause cholera which is the most devastating disease. Salmonnella and E-coli are a common disease which can affect everyone particularly the younmg children. Everyone year millions of babies and young children, mainly in the Third World countries die from the diarrhoeal disease which can cause dehydration. Diarrhoea is a critical condtion in these young children because they are too young to have developed an immunity against the bacteria in their environment

The treatment for diarrhoea and dehyration in such children includes giving them plenty of fluid or water to drink, but the fluid or water is often contaminated by the bacteria in the their environment. The research scientists said that if these drinks can be flavoured with cordial, killing the bacteria, there is a potential to save many lives. But how fruit cordial can kill the bacteria, they just did not know. Maybe it is probably related to the the chemical content and acidity of the cordial, they said.

Here is a tip to travellers. If you happen to travel, prepare your drinks with cordial and let them stand for an hour. You can also put the drinks in the refrigerater if you wish before drinking. Letting them stand at room temperature is important. Immediate refrigeration slows the rate at which the bacteria are killed.