At 14:27 1998-06-08 -0700, Christy wrote:
>FYI for anyone who is drying meat for jerky:
>http://www.foodpres.com/jerky2.html

The solution to reduce bacteria given at that site is to precook the meat.
This is exactly what I do not want to do, if so I can as well cook my
meat in some way (wich I also do). The point with jerky is that I do not
heat the meat.
There is in fact another solution wich I have happened to use without
knowing it. I add spices to the ground meat (mostly elk) I use for making
jerky. And according to an article in my newspaper the other day, most
spices are in fact killing bacteria.
This is describerd in the report "Antimicrobila functions of spices: Why
some like it hot" By Paul Sherman (evolutionary biologist) and Jennifer
Billing, published in The Quarterly Review of Biology, 1998, Vol. 73, No 1,
The University of Chicago.  (I have not read this original report.)
They have found that traditional recipes from different parts of the world
often include spices to kill bacteria, more in warmer countries than in
cooler. 43 different spices were tested on 30 types of bacteria. Half of
the tested spices killed more than 75 % of the bacteria, among wich were
thyme, cinnamon, tarragon, caraway, bay leaf, sweet pepper and rosemary.
Oregano, allspice, onoin and garlic killed all bacteria tested for.
Some combination had higher effect than single spices, for example
Garam Masala and Mexican spice mix. Spices wich loose taste when heated
also looses antibcterial effect when heated, and so should be added
after cooking.

- Hans