Can grapes ferment in the stomach in to wine and if so, are they harmful babies?

Question

I was told not to feed my baby grapes due to the fermentation while they are in the stomach. Causing the baby to be come drunk.

Answer 1

It may sound silly, and the cause is different, but a smilar condition can occur. Candidiasis, or better known as a yeast infection is the culprit. It is not related to grapes, babies, or the stomach. If your baby doesn't have this condition, than grapes and everything else are perfetly safe.

Quoted from http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/candidiasis2.html the second paragraph under "Alcohol"

"Some candidiasis sufferers will feel, and appear to be, intoxicated. An unsual symptom of certain people with severe candidiasis is the presence of alcohol in the blood stream even when none has been consumed. First discovered in Japan, and called "drunk disease," this condition creates strains of candida albicans which turn acetaldehyde (which is the chemical created by sugar and yeast fermentation) into ethanol. This is a process well understood by distillers of homemade brew. These candidiasis patients whose yeast turns sugar into alcohol are chronically drunk. They have developed what is only half-jokingly called 'auto-brewery syndrome'. "

Unrelated aside, yeast actually prefers an acidic (pH around 3-5) environment...which is the level of acidity in one's stomach.

Answer 2

That is completely absurd and you are right to challenge that. Whoever told you that and/or believes that is an absolute fool. The mere physics of this don't make any sense. Grapes and acid. you should do some research on the fermentation process. And some doctors claim that a glass of wine per day is OK while pregnant. So do you think some grapes fermenting into wine will hurt the child? Come on let it pass the come on sense test first.

Answer 3

The yeasts which start the fermentation process cannot survive at the low pH (acidity) levels found in the human stomach and so no fermentation can take place. However, your friend is right that getting a baby drunk is bad, so try to cut out the tequila and whisky from your child's diet.

related: As a point of interest, there is a mammal whose stomach allows fermentation. It is believed that koala bears spend a large proportion of their lives absolutely hammered due to fermentation of eucalyptus leaves in their guts (perhaps explaining the placid and sleepy demeanour but fiery temper when disturbed!).

Answer 4

Aside from the acidity of the digestive system, and the lack of yeast, I would hope their digestive system moves a little faster than would allow fermentation. I have included a link for guidelines on what to feed you baby at each stage (Approved by the Medical Advisory Board), and another link to a page from the Mayo Clinic Website. This site recognizes grapes as a choking hazard, but that is all that it says about them.
(another site advises that you cut grapes and cherries into small pieces and remove skin, seeds, or pits~ but again, this addresses the choking hazard.)

I hope that this helps.

Answer 5

No, they won't ferment. But if you feed a baby grapes, there's a good chance the baby can choke on them. They should be peeled and cut into pieces.

Answer 6

When grapes (or any food) is eaten, it is immediately broken down by stomach acids. There is no time for any fermentation to even begin.
The only danger to feeding a baby grapes is the possibility of choking (if the baby is too young).

Answer 7

No the stomach is not a barrel that hodls your food. It digests it and how could it ferment if your stomach acids break it down.

Answer 8

The stomach is very acidic, all you eat is dissolved there by HCl (hydrochloric acid). Don't expect any form of fermentation.

Answer 9

Not unless you feed the baby yeast along with the grapes...lol

Answer 10

who ever told you this you should
slap them in there head in front of a lot of people
kick them in the knee right after that
and then to finish kick them in the butt