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Although wine's reputation as an aid to digestion is legendary, it has not been subjected to much in the way of scientific scrutiny. The following in vitro study is a first step.
Investigators tested the ability of six solutions -- undiluted red and white wine, bismuth salicylate, 10 percent ethanol in water, tequila (diluted to 10 percent ethanol), and distilled water -- to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, salmonella, and shigella. After inoculating the solutions with the bacteria, they performed colony counts at 0, 10, 20, 30, 60, and 120 minutes. Within 20 to 30 minutes, red and white wine nearly eradicated all three organisms. Bismuth salicylate had a similar effect on E. coli, but required 60 to 120 minutes for a comparable reduc…