← Fermentation and pickling
H54-07 · Module 7 of 7 · Pages: 20 · Worksheets: 6
Fermentation problems and safety
Kahm yeast or mould, soft, pink and slimy kraut, a smell that isn't right, botulism, histamine and salt: how to recognise it, what to fix and when to throw it out
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In short
- A flat white film on the brine is usually kahm yeast: skim it off. Furry, coloured mould is not the same thing.
- Mould in a jar, pot, drink or dairy ferment: throw it all out. In a crock, only on the surface of the brine: the crock rule.
- Soft, slimy, pink or foul-smelling vegetables are thrown out; a water bath doesn't fix them.
- The goal is pH below 4.6 by day 4 (18–22 °C); fermented vegetables that are still not below 4.6 on day 7 are thrown out.
- Never taste anything suspect, not even from the tip of a spoon. When in doubt, throw it out.
What's inside
Chapters
- How to read a ferment
- Kahm yeast or mould
- Texture problems
- Colour problems
- Smell and taste problems
- Fermentation won't start or goes too fast
- Health: what can be dangerous
- Throw it out or eat it: the decision
- Poisoning: signs and emergency help
- Common mistakes
- Printable checklist
Worksheets
- Decision card
- Weekly check
- Problem log
- Salt and brine correction calculator
- Check calendar
- Emergency contacts and house rules
Fields and checkboxes can be filled in with Adobe Acrobat Reader (desktop and mobile), and the calculator adds up by itself. Filling in may not work in some browsers. A print version comes with the screen PDF.
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