YES! They’ve found the cure, and it is “oh, so easy“! Kimchee - as in “you are in deep kimchee“. According to “Sauerkraut.com”

SUPERFOOD STRIKES AGAIN:
Scientists Find Kimchi Sauerkraut May Cure Avian Flu - A cure in a meal: U.S. Sauerkraut sales expected to skyrocket

Fremont, OH—October 18, 2005—In yet another indication that Sauerkraut is the super food of the 21st century, scientists at Seoul National University have successfully used Kimchi Sauerkraut to treat chickens infected with avian flu. Kimchi is a seasoned variety of sauerkraut that shares Lactobacillus bacteria with traditional Sauerkraut, which may be the critical element in preventing Avian Flu. Both Kimchi and traditional Sauerkraut are made by fermenting sliced cabbage, producing a high level of lactic acid.

According to an October 2005 BBC report, Kimchi was fed to 13 infected chickens and 11 of them started recovering within a week. South Korean Kimchi consumption is up as a result of this report and U.S. sales of Sauerkraut are also expected to spike up.

Well, here’s hoping that whatever miracle cure is contained in kimchee, is also contained in German-style sauerkraut, as the German dish is a simpler and more palatable food than the Korean kimchee. In fact, if kimchee is the cure for bird flu - most people would prefer to take their chances with the disease. I wonder about the birds too - would they really eat kimchee?

The results of a recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry concluded that sauerkraut is a cancer inhibitor. The study discovered that the fermentation of cabbage (how sauerkraut is made) produced a substance called isothiocynates, which prevents cancer growth, particularly in the breast, colon, lung and liver. Packed with vitamins, iron, and fiber, sauerkraut is also rich in cruciferous phytochemicals, which have long been proven to have disease fighting powers. (Sauerkraut.com)

If kimchee does work, it is most probably a preventative, rather than a cure, as one serving of the garlicy kimchee will keep everyone, even including chickens, far, far away.

Ruffles & Flourishes to Sahmwhere Ntranzishn.