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fermenting How to avoid mold in a ferment?

Hey all,
 
Two of my last three ferments have ended up molding on the top and I've had to throw them out.  I'm getting ready to do a gallon ferment to finish out the season, but am terrified that it will end up molding and I'll have jack-all to show for this season.  What advice do you all have for avoiding molding?
 
For reference, I've more or less been using the fermentation guide that's sticky'd here.  I make sure to have a brine and sufficient whey to get things started.  I've used star-san on my fermentation vessels and tried to make sure everything is as sterile as possible going into the process.  One thing I haven't tried is weighing down the mash - which usually floats to the top of the brine in a day or two.  Does anybody have any ideas on how to go about that if I'm using a gallon jug for this ferment?  
 
Use a smaller vessel and/or make sure that all your chile solids stay under the brine. Weigh them down with a clean ziplock filled with brine, or boiled marbles or something else to keep them submerged.
 
I'd try the gallon sized ziplock method. It serves as an airlock, also. Put your empty ziplock on top of the pepper mash in the jar, then fill the ziplock with water until the space on top of the jar is filled. Do not put the cap on the jar. The bag will act as a bladder type gasket to keep air from getting in, but will allow gas bubbles to work their way out.
 
Tigeris said:
...  Does anybody have any ideas on how to go about that if I'm using a gallon jug for this ferment?  
 
I'd use an airlock, an airlock cap or bung, only fill the jug to the shoulder and swirl every once in a while to sink the solids.
 
DownRiver said:
 
I'd use an airlock, an airlock cap or bung, only fill the jug to the shoulder and swirl every once in a while to sink the solids.
 
Seconded.  Chilimonsta also used cabbage leaves to put a 'cap' on top of the ferments - I've done that several times with no mold or kham yeast issues.  
 
EDIT:  A good amount of salt also helps a lot.  Whey/starters are great, but salt is still the key.
 
I'm on board with SmokenFire I've only used cabbage leaf to weigh down mash it's already shaped like a cup works great. Helps promote fermentation and helps stop the production of mold and yeast. :)
 
Is it mold or Khan yeast?

I use the ziplock With water in the top method.

Sometimes I still.get the Khan yeast. I just scrape the top layer of and its good to go.

Smell it. If it smells sweet and, I wanna say sourish then its the Khan yeast. Scrape that bad boy off and smell it then. If it smells like your reggae ferment you're good to go.

You'll be able to tell the difference between mold, real mold, the nasty guy and Kham yeast.
 
For mold to take hold of a ferment there has to be several things go wrong. Salt level too low, not enough LAB to take over quickly or some how air is getting into the container (this could also come from there being too much head space).
 
So, first what percent brine are you using? I use a very low level of salt in my ferments because of high blood pressure and have really only lost 1 or 2 ferments to mold and it was when my starter was off when it happened not from the low salt. Second, what is your source of LAB? You said Whey but did you check your source to ensure that it contained a live culture? That was how I lost my first one, someone else going to the store picked up the wrong yogurt and I didn't check it before using it. Second time was using a Probiotic capsule. Third, how full is your container or how sealed up is it? If your using a one gallon container and only filling it half way then that could be your problem otherwise you need to look at where O2 might be getting in, including if your opening the jar every so often to stir the mash so that it will stay submerged by releasing the trapped gas. 
 
JMHO :)
RM
 
The best way to avoid mold in a ferment is to use a proper fermentation vessel. Stop using the BS Ziploc bags with water or marbles in a mason jar or whatever other technique you can come up with. Buy a proper vessel with a proper air lock and you won't have any issues. You also won't have to load the ferment up with salt nor will you have to use whey of any kind to start your ferment. There are plenty of resources out there to make your own or buy pre built ones.
 
You can buy pre made ones from here - http://www.pickl-it.com/
 
or
 
 
I chose to make my own and followed this guide. It was super easy, just make sure you buy the right jars as the cheap walmart brand ones have thicker tops that won't work. They have to be fido brand.
 
http://www.seasonedhomemaker.com/2012/10/how-to-make-your-own-fermenting-jar.html
 
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