Antibacterial activity of chaff vinegar and its practical application.

Since enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella, etc., sometimes contaminate animal feces and may cause infectious diseases to humans, it is important to remove pathogenic bacteria from domestic animal waste. For the purpose, we examined the antibacterial activity of chaff vinegar. We found that the chaff vinegar inhibited the growth of pathogenic bacteria immediately in vitro but not efficiently spores and lactic acid bacteria. Further, it removes bacteria, especially Enterobacteriaceae, from animal feces and the surface of the concrete-floor in the cattle barn. Chaff vinegar is advertised as a natural chemical substance for a soil conditioner, to promote the composting and to deodorize their smell. Chaff vinegar may be useful for organic agriculture without enteric pathogenic bacteria.