Hello! So generally: what makes Tonics safe?
When I first started fermenting I did apple ciders and kombucha. I was a little worried about issues but quickly realized that alcohol, salt, vinegar and refrigeration all guarantee food safety.
Then enter tonics. I combine ginger and sugar to make a ginger bug. My first question while doing so is why won't there be mold? My ginger gets moldy in the fridge after a few weeks? Then I leave the ginger bug in the soda at room temperature. It has lemon, and eventually I refrigerate it before drinking, would those prevent/kill toxins? Just to state: I am not too worried. I followed a recipe and sanitized. I know the chance of something such as toxins is very low. I am not trying to harbor fear but am simply wondering the science.
So what is the science of this stuff fermenting and staying safe? Is it simply that it has sugar and by yeast eating sugar it keeps the healthy bacteria growing and prevents the bad.
Thanks for the answer and any discussion about the science of tonics. This info seemed scarce.