2 ms·

I think to kill all bacteria you need to boil for several minutes. A typical tea kettle turns off immediately after reaching the boiling point. Coffee is a simi

• mattkrause 9y ago
  Right...to actually sterilize something, you have to hold it well above boiling. Autoclaves run at high pressure so they can get liquids up to 121C. However, you don't need sterile food; you just need to ensure that there are sufficiently few bacteria that your body can deal with the rest. I would suspect boiling water (to make the coffee) and holding it hot (for serving) helps quite a bit with this, but I was wondering if anyone had some actual numbers.
• Bartweiss 9y ago
  I guess the question is exactly what's in the water. Sterilizing river water calls for one minute at a rolling boil, which you won't get from a kettle. But something like beef, with a much more restricted threat, can be done down around 160F, and bringing your kettle to a boil should easily get you a few minutes above that line. Not all tea brewings will, but I'm guessing "boil it and throw in tea" is more common on airplanes than a delicate, 165F green tea production. So... it'd be nice to hear from a microbiologist about the specifics on this one. Regulators seem concerned, but that's about drinking it as tap water, which I wouldn't do.