Surprise! Freezing doesn’t kill bacteria—it just puts them in cryosleep. They wake up when the food thaws, as refreshed as you after a nap. Only heat is the executioner. If you froze your salmon for a month, the bacteria are still there, plotting their revenge.
How Long Does It Take Heat To Kill Bacteria at Joel Viveros blog
So, unlike you after a long winter, bacteria are fine with being frozen. They’re like those people who wear shorts in December. Heat is their kryptonite.
Boiling Water: The Universal Solvent (But Check the Altitude)
Boiling water (212°F at sea level) kills most pathogens. But if you’re camping at 10,000 feet, water boils at 193°F—that’s like a lukewarm bath for Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Those parasites laugh at low-boil water. You need to let it roil for five minutes, or use a filter. Otherwise, you’ll be sprinting to a very private bush.
The lesson? Bacteria don’t care about your altitude. They just want you to suffer. Use a thermometer. Trust the thermometer.
