What Temperature Kills Bacteria in Water and Food?

 Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms. They’re found all over the world and in the different environments — even within your body. In fact, it’s estimated that we have 10 times more Trusted Source bacterial cells in our body than human cells.

 While most bacteria don’t cause illness in humans, there are some that do. These are called pathogenic bacteria. A few examples include:

• the Salmonella species
•  methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

 You can lower your risk of becoming sick by taking steps to reduce your exposure to these types of bacteria. In fact, there are different ways to kill pathogenic bacteria in water, in food, or on a household surface.

 Let’s take a closer look at what temperatures can kill bacteria, as well as other steps you can take to get rid of potentially harmful bacteria in your home.

 What temperature kills bacteria in water?

 Several types of disease-causing organisms can be present in water, including bacteria. Some examples of bacterial illnesses that you can get from contaminated water include:

• salmonellosis
•  gastroenteritis caused as well as some species
•  dysentery
•  typhoid fever
•  cholera

 Due to modern water treatment methods, this isn’t something that we often worry about. However, there are some circumstances in which bacteria can be present in water. These include scenarios where:

•  regular water service has been interrupted, due to a water line break or a natural disaster
•  you’re traveling are unsure of the quality or safety of the water
•   It has been unsafely treated, handled.

 The World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149 °F (65 °C). This temperature is below that of boiling water or even a simmer.

 In order to be sure that you’ve killed pathogenic bacteria that may be present in water, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source recommends the following:

1. If the water is cloudy, either let it settle or filter it through a coffee filter or clean piece of cloth before you boil it.
2.  Bring the water to a rolling boil. This is the point where the water is boiling very vigorously with lots of bubbles.
3.  Allow the water to boil like this for at least 1 minute.
4.  Remove the water from the heat source and allow it to cool down.
5.  Once the water has cooled, store it in a clean, tightly-secured container.

 Additional tips for killing bacteria in water

 If you don’t have ready access to a heat source, there are other things that you can do to kill bacteria in water. For example, you can use household bleach to disinfect water by following these steps:

1.  Select a regular, unscented chlorine bleach that’s less than 1 year old. Check the label to verify that it’s suitable for disinfection or sanitization and that the active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite.
2.  If the water is cloudy, allow it to settle or filter it using a coffee filter or clean cloth.
3.  Using a clean eyedropper, add an appropriate amount of bleach to the water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a chart of how much to add based off of the volume of water and the concentration of your household bleach.
4.  Stir the water and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.

  Water disinfection tablets are also commercially available. If you choose to use these, be sure to carefully follow the instructions provided on the product label.