The reason why medical equipment needs to be autoclaved at 120 degrees or more (with moisture and pressure) is because some bacteria can form a spore (an inert form, encased in a very tough membrane). The spore is super resistant to heat, drying, steam etc. Once conditions improve, the spore becomes a bacteria cell again, and can infect the patient. Bacteria have always been able to do this; it has nothing to do with selected resistance.shibui wrote:Many infections common in medical situations have been bred tough by inadequate controls so they are now tougher to kill. Same thing has happened in sgriculture with weeds and pests becoming resistant to some chemicals and treatments - Warning to bonsai growers who don't sterilise properly.
Anything we are doing with stove or microwave is sanitising, not sterilising.
If you really wanted to whack your mix, you could buy an old stove top pressure cooker, wet your mix, and get it over 110 degrees for 10 minutes. You can buy special autoclave indicators that change colour to tell you that your sterilisation has worked.