An antibacterial and antiviral powdered soft-drink base.

Soft-drink powdered mixtures have been developed which are bactericidal against a range of enteric bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus and which kill some enteric viruses in vitro. These mixtures could be used to help reduce risks of water-borne diarrhoeal illnesses, and as the basis for oral rehydration solutions, which would resist bacterial contamination after their preparation, to treat patients with diarrhoeal dehydration.