fermenting ferment mashes gone bad?

[reebus]

How can you tell if a mash has gone bad? I have four large jars that have been fermenting for about 3-4 months now. I noticed that there is some growth on the surface of the brine. Not just kahm yeast. It's mold. It doesnt smell bad though. It smells the same as my previous batches that I've already processed into sauce. The mash is submerged in brine for the most part but it looks a bit questionable as far as what is in contact with the surface. I'm pretty sure I know what the answer will be but can it be saved? Can I just skim the nasties and boil the hell out of it as to save it?

Thanks... fingers crossed.

 

[mikeg]

Aflatoxins. Liver cancer... a professor at the University of Guelph, in 1986, told me that not all molds produce these carcinogens. He also pointed out that they killed as many people in some countries as cholesterol, here in North America.

I would be loath to throw away something as fine as pepper sauce. I could only do that if i was sure i was doing the right thing.

Post a picture of the mold, wait for someone who's had experience with fermented sauces to tell you to throw it out... and throw it out. I'm not trying to be funny here... i'm saying that's what i would do, so i feel less bad about doing the right thing.

EDIT: I feel bad giving this advice. Hope your next batch is better.

 

[SmokenFire]

mikeg has solid advice for you reebus.  when in doubt throw it out.  The cost of one batch of ferment is no where near the potential expense of food poisoning.  
 
But!  I've had a couple batches of sauerkraut get some bit of mold on the big cabbage leaves at the top of the jar that I use as a 'cap' before.  I pulled the top leaf that had that touch of mold and ate that batch and I'm still here  Note: the bit of mold I'm talking about was indeed a bit, less than a dime sized dark and fuzzy spot at the top of the leaf nearest the airlock.  Everything under the brine had zero mold so I figured it was safe.
 
If there is mold in the edge of your pepper mash in addition to kahm yeast chances are something was bad on em to start or something got into them during the ferment.  If the rest of the batch looks and smells good you are likely fine to skim and process.  *However I'd recommend pressure canning that batch just to be safe* Boiling the hell out of it won't kill botulism spores, so in the presence of mold at the surface of the brine I'd pressure can for safety.  

 

[Downriver]

...Post a picture of the mold...

 
 

mikeg has solid advice for you reebus.  when in doubt throw it out.  The cost of one batch of ferment is no where near the potential expense of food poisoning.  
 
But!  I've had a couple batches of sauerkraut get some bit of mold on the big cabbage leaves at the top of the jar that I use as a 'cap' before.  I pulled the top leaf that had that touch of mold and ate that batch and I'm still here  Note: the bit of mold I'm talking about was indeed a bit, less than a dime sized dark and fuzzy spot at the top of the leaf nearest the airlock.  Everything under the brine had zero mold so I figured it was safe.
 
If there is mold in the edge of your pepper mash in addition to kahm yeast chances are something was bad on em to start or something got into them during the ferment.  If the rest of the batch looks and smells good you are likely fine to skim and process.  *However I'd recommend pressure canning that batch just to be safe* Boiling the hell out of it won't kill botulism spores, so in the presence of mold at the surface of the brine I'd pressure can for safety.  

 
Definitely good advice here, but a picture really would help. A little spot of mold is one thing, the surface covered with a 1/2 inch thick black-blue-purple-pink-green-etc mat of hairy-slick mold is a different story.