Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
Do not
believe
everything
you see on
the Internet
- Abraham
Lincoln


RUN
FOR
SOMETHING

A government
of laws, and
not of men.
—John Adams


FIGHT
FOR
DEMOCRACY



This is the
flower of
the partisan
Who died
for freedom

We Will
Drive MAGA
Back Under
Their Rocks


Check out
all the stickies
on Grovelbot's
Big Board!

sl8

(16,706 posts)
Wed May 14, 2025, 06:49 PM May 2025

Russians Once Dipped This Frog In Their Milk Jars--Here's Why

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/11/25/russians-once-dipped-this-frog-in-their-milk-jars-heres-why/

Russians Once Dipped This Frog In Their Milk Jars—Here’s Why

By Scott Travers, Contributor. I write about the world of biology.
Nov 25, 2024, 08:47am EST

Long before we had the luxury of storing milk in refrigerators, households in Russia and Finland had a more unconventional means of preservation: they would drop a frog in the bucket of milk.

All they knew was that this frog—the European brown frog or Rana temporaria—would keep their milk from turning sour. It might sound strange to modern ears, but this practice was a clever and effective, albeit accidental, application of the frog’s natural defenses.

In stark contrast to the toxic or psychedelic amphibians in the wild, Rana temporaria flaunts a treasure trove of powerful antibiotic substances. Today, scientists are diving deeper into the antimicrobial properties of Rana temporaria’s skin, uncovering a rich arsenal of bioactive compounds that go beyond milk preservation.

[...]

The frog’s skin produces a variety of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that serve as its primary line of defense against pathogens, according to a November 2012 study published in the Journal of Proteome Research. These peptides are especially effective against a wide range of bacteria, including some strains known for their resistance to conventional antibiotics.

[...]


8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Russians Once Dipped This Frog In Their Milk Jars--Here's Why (Original Post) sl8 May 2025 OP
What a peculiar discovery. 3catwoman3 May 2025 #1
At which point did someone think, LearnedHand May 2025 #2
I have long wondered about the first person hungry enough to figure out that artichokes... 3catwoman3 May 2025 #6
Suppose there were two buckets of milk BootinUp May 2025 #3
Just to make sure your milk won't make you croak! Enter stage left May 2025 #4
Cane toads orangecrush May 2025 #5
How very cool! TygrBright May 2025 #7
I................................................................... can't....... Montauk6 May 2025 #8

LearnedHand

(4,915 posts)
2. At which point did someone think,
Wed May 14, 2025, 07:56 PM
May 2025

“Hey, I bet this frog will keep my milk from souring”?

3catwoman3

(27,441 posts)
6. I have long wondered about the first person hungry enough to figure out that artichokes...
Wed May 14, 2025, 08:58 PM
May 2025

...had an edible inside.

BootinUp

(50,211 posts)
3. Suppose there were two buckets of milk
Wed May 14, 2025, 08:46 PM
May 2025

And one became visually different from the other. Later it was discovered that a froggy was in one of them. Maybe?

Latest Discussions»Editorials & Other Articles»Russians Once Dipped This...