Could That Jar Of Sun Tea Ruin Your Summer?

What could be better than an icy cold glass of tea on a hot summer day? Summer time is here again and it’s the perfect time for sun tea.. or is it?

OK, we’re all “going green” nowadays and brewing tea by using the sun seems to fit well with the movement. You don’t have to turn on the stove to boil water, so we save energy and get a great, mild tasting gallon of iced tea, but is brewing sun tea safe?

According to some reports, sun tea has the potential to harbor a bacteria called alcaligenes viscolactis. This common bacteria, found in water, can cause everything from gastritis to flu-like symptoms. Many reports state that water heated by the sun only reaches a temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s not hot enough to kill off the bacteria, thus sun tea could create the perfect environment for it to flourish.

Even though the warm temperature of sun tea could accelerate a growth of alcaligenes viscolactis, is all sun tea unsafe? Well, the bacteria lives in the water; so if your tap water is contaminated then yes, anything made with that un-boiled water will carry the risk. However, even though the danger exists, there is no real evidence that there has been any illness related to consuming sun tea. Actually, the real risk is more likely due to poor sanitary practices rather than from the sun tea itself.

So if you still want to make sun tea here are some safe handling tips for a safer drink:

* Use a glass container with a tight fitting lid.
* Make sure the container is washed in hot soapy water and rinsed well.
* Teas that contain caffeine are slightly better at stopping bacteria from growing.
* A container with a built-in spigot is almost impossible to clean thoroughly; the spigot makes a perfect place for bacteria to hide.
* Using filtered water or distilled water is the safest choice.
* Sun tea should never be brewed longer than 4 hours
* Consume sun tea within 24 hours of brewing.
* Once brewed, keep iced tea refrigerated.
* If the tea smells sour, gets thick, or you see ropy, strand-like particles, your tea has become contaminated. Discard the tea immediately.
* If you do have a batch of tea that goes bad,
> scrub the brewing container or pitcher in hot soapy water,
> dip the container in a bleach/water solution,
> rinse the container well with clean water before using it again

My family and I have safely brewed and consumed sun tea for many years without adverse effects. We look forward to the hot days of summer and that delicious brew that only the sun can make.

Friends, if you decide to brew sun tea, practice good food handling techniques and enjoy a safe summer.

By: Elynevay

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Evelyn is the owner of Evanor Teas and has premium teas for iced tea available at www.evanorteas.com Visit Evelyn's Blog www.evanorteas.com/blog/ to learn more about tea and teaware. We're Your Cup of Tea.