Question...

[tarheelsman71]

This was asked to me, and I have what my response to him was but it got me thinking about it more and wanted to ask the masses.

If you were backpacking or living off the land with your bugout bag, etc. You take out some beans that you plan to eat tomorrow, scoop some creek water into a pot and begin to soak your beans. The next day you boil the beans for 10 minutes before setting them to simmer per whatever recipe that you are using. Given that scenario, is the meal clean from parasite, bacteria, etc. that would leave you ill? Could the beans, soaking in the dirty water, have become "infected?" Or did the boiling of the water and beans clean the water and the potentially "dirty" beans?

My answer was to obviously use a filtration system for the creek water before hand and the problem is double solved when you boil it later.

Anybody want to chime in on that one?

[Lowdown3]

I think I'd filter first or at a minimum boil the water at a rolling boil for 5 minutes BEFORE putting the beans in.

Things like lentils and split peas that cook quicker seem to do better in the field.

[miked2345]

I think you'd want to filter and boil.. Boiling will kill germs and bacteria, but I don't think it will "kill" chemical pollutants or trace toxic metals. And I'd assume you'd want to treat the water before putting beans in it, so they don't absorb anything.

[hidden_waldo]

I don't know the answer to your question.

On a prior study of using water while hiking / camping / BO / etc... The best way of having safe water is to do some combo of filtering and treating the water. If you just go with one or the other, there is always a chance of having a water issue.

When I see topics like this come up, I like to do some research. In doing that, I found this article:

http://health.ninemsn.com/whatsgoodforyou/theshow/694031/does-boiling-water-make-it-safe-to-drink

The second to last statement sums it up in the article:
"Well, it seems boiling water to make it safe is certainly a good idea. It will get rid of a lot of the bugs that lie beneath, but what it won't do is get rid of the toxins that the bugs produce. So whenever you're drinking water from a natural source, it's a good idea to filter it before you boil it. It may save you a lot of pain in the long run. "

The "boil only" approach would be my plan "C", not plan "A".

my two cents......

[xdpatriot]

I would boil first, then add the beans.

[tarheelsman71]

appreciate the info from everyone.

[Edgemont]

Filtering/boiling water to kill the crap is very over–rated. At least from the experience of drinking running water from the northwest. My Mountain climbing buddy and I drink water straight from the creeks often. My climbing buddy got sick once… He drank from a stagnant pool on Rainier… Not smart. But we usually drink our water straight from the source if it's running… Especially if there's a lot of moss in it.

Just sayin, the hype is so over rated.

[SCinPNW]

I would err on the side of filtering and/or boiling. I have been sick from bad water before and once is more than enough for me thank you very much!

SC