| It is summer time and with that hot sun beating | | | | - Always use a clean gallon glass container that |
| down, what could be better than a cold glass of | | | | has been washed in hot soapy water and then |
| Iced tea? | | | | well rinsed. |
| My family and I are tea lovers and can not wait | | | | - Black teas, which contain caffeine, are |
| for that first hot, sunny day in spring, that is | | | | somewhat better at stopping bacteria from |
| when I pull out the glass gallon pickle jar and | | | | growing. |
| make sun tea. It is easy to make and brews a | | | | - Consider avoiding those cute decanters with the |
| delicious mild-tasting tea drink, but is it safe? | | | | built in spigot. It is almost impossible to get the |
| The safety of drinking sun tea has been debated | | | | spigot clean and makes a perfect place for |
| for several years. According to some reports, tea | | | | bacteria to hide. |
| brewed using the sun may harbor a nasty | | | | - Use filtered water or purified water that has |
| bacteria,alcaligenes viscolactis, that can cause | | | | been processed using steam distillation. |
| everything from a simple tummy ache to diarrhea | | | | - Never leave sun tea brew for longer than 4 |
| or full blown flu-like symptoms. Theoretically | | | | hours. |
| speaking, this common bacteria is found in water | | | | - Use the tea within 24 hours and discard any |
| and may flourish in the environment found in sun | | | | after 48 hours. |
| tea. Experts say that water heated by the sun | | | | - Keep iced tea refrigerated after brewing. |
| only gets to about 130 degrees Fahrenheit, and | | | | - Discard any iced tea if it smells sour, gets thick, |
| that is not hot enough to kill off this bacteria. | | | | or you see ropy strand-like particles. This is a sure |
| So how much of a risk is there in drinking sun | | | | sign that your tea has become contaminated with |
| tea? Alcaligenes viscolactis lives in the water, it is | | | | bacteria. |
| not magically produced by placing water in the | | | | - If you do have tea that goes bad, make sure |
| sun. If your tea contains the bacteria, then the | | | | that your brewing container or pitcher is scrubbed |
| bacteria was most likely already in your tap | | | | in hot soapy water then dipped in a bleach/water |
| water. That means that you run the risk of | | | | solution and finally rinsed well with clean water |
| becoming ill from any drink that you have made | | | | before using it again. |
| with water that was not boiled for 3 to 4 | | | | I have brewed sun tea for over 20 years and |
| minutes. However, the warm temperature of sun | | | | have served it to friends and relatives, old and |
| tea would accelerate a bacterial bloom if | | | | young without adverse effect, but I am a stickler |
| alcaligenes viscolactis were present. | | | | for cleanliness and proper handling of food. I |
| During my investigation, I found that even though | | | | always wash my hands before preparing my Sun |
| the danger may exist, there is no known | | | | Tea, my container is always well cleaned, I use |
| evidence that there has been any illness related | | | | filtered water and fresh tea that has been |
| to consuming sun tea. In reality, any risk is more | | | | properly stored, and promptly refrigerate the |
| likely due to poor food handling techniques rather | | | | product once it is brewed. |
| than from the tea itself. | | | | Now that you are aware of the Pros and Cons of |
| Here are some common sense tips to keep your | | | | making Sun Tea, the choice is yours. |
| sun tea safe to drink: | | | | |