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Their ability to resist heat has been greatly exaggerated. The kernel of truth is that some sterilization procedures are insufficient to eliminate them and that
by jjoonathan 9y ago
Their ability to resist heat has been greatly exaggerated. The kernel of truth is that some sterilization procedures are insufficient to eliminate them and that definitive guidelines have not been fully agreed on. Common folklore translates this into "they are impervious to heat."
- DrScump 9y agoPlease describe the process by which a prion is rendered harmless at a mere 100C. Denaturing a protein generally requires a lot more.
- SideburnsOfDoom 9y ago> Denaturing a protein generally requires a lot more .. than 100C Nope. Protein generally denatures at lower than 100C / boiling point. That's the principle of Sous Vide, not that you should use Sous Vide to sterilise anything, but the protein in egg white denatures at 60-80C. http://www.scienceofcooking.com/eggs/eggs_sous_vide.htm http://www.scienceofcooking.com/eggs/eggs_sous_vide.htm And in meat it's similar, 50-70C http://www.mpip-mainz.mpg.de/Sous_vide_cooking http://www.mpip-mainz.mpg.de/Sous_vide_cooking If you doubt it, stick your hand in water at 80C and see what happens.
- aaronblohowiak 9y agoPrions don't degrade at the boiling point: http://www.microbiologyresearch.org/docserver/fulltext/jgv/82/2/0820465a.pdf?expires=1518047129&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=5B41A4F4F072CF1011FBADABD6ED4C6E http://www.microbiologyresearch.org/docserver/fulltext/jgv/8...
- SideburnsOfDoom 9y agoSure, though that's entirely different from the grandparent post's statement about "Denaturing a protein generally", which happens well below boiling point.
- jjoonathan 9y agoWhere did I claim they were rendered harmless at a mere 100C?