Spices not only add flavor to food, they may slow down the growth of E. coli bacteria in uncooked meat. E. coli, a bacteria found in raw meat and produce, can cause gastrointestinal disease, severely damage the intestinal lining and, in some cases, result in death. Scientists at Kansas State University found that sprinkling E. coli-contaminated meat with these spices reduced bacteria levels. Clove proved to be most effective additive, reducing E. coli by 99 percent, followed by cinnamon, 80 percent; garlic, 75 percent; oregano, 50 percent; and sage, 37 percent. They also found that a combination of garlic and clove killed 99 percent of E. coli in salami. Hot Pepper Oil May Prevent Salmonella 8/01 Spices Ward Off Bacteria Evolution and Human Behavior, 7/01 Spices Flush Toxins from the Body A tip from mapi.com Storing Spices Excerpted from an article by Siri-Ved Kaur Khalsa Bacteriostatic effect of dill, fennel, caraway & cinnamon extracts against Helicobacter pylori J Nutritional & Env Med, June 2005 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.