Burning Sage Doesn't Kill Bacteria
The Claim
Burning sage kills 94% of bacteria.
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Emerging story
Social media users on Facebook and Twitter have been circulating a claim that burning sage kills 94% of bacteria. Users claim that burning sage – or “smudging” – is capable of purifying the air in confined spaces. The "94%" claim is based on a 2007 study in which researchers analyzed the ability of “medicinal smoke” to cleanse a room of certain airborne bacteria. 
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation didn’t find any evidence that burning sage kills either bacteria or viruses.
The study mentioned in the circulating claims burns medical smoke from havan samagri within a confined space to determine whether certain herbs contained antimicrobial properties. Havan samagri is a mixture of odoriferous and medicinal herbs that contain dozens of various types of fruit, wood, seeds, and herbs used in Vedic Hindu tradition.
However, sage was not included in the study’s ingredient list.
