Random Q&A

Question:

Does the aging process for raw milk cheeses kill the good bacteria as well as the bad?

Answer:

Aging cheese develops lactic acid through the life cycles of lactobacilli. This acidity creates an environment inhospitable to bacteria associated with food poisoning. Eventually the acidity reaches a point where the "good" lactobacilli die off as well.

Q22

Fermentation Q&A

This is an archive of email questions I have received and my responses to them. At this point I am directing questions to a support forum bulletin board at http://www.wildfermentation.com/forum/. Other online groups of fermentation enthusiasts can be found at Microbial Nutrition (a Yahoo! group) or Wild-Fermentation (a Google group).

Latest Questions

January 02Flat sourdough

When we started sourdough, there were a few bubbles on the first day, then every bubble dissappeared. Could it be that we used non-organic flour?

I've had fine success with non-organic flour, but organic is better. Try adding a piece of organic fruit (like a grape or plum) covered with yeast to "jump start" it? That can get it going quickly. If your water heavily chlorinated try some bottled sdpring water. Keep trying, keep stirring!

January 02Moldy sourdough

Why after a couple of weeks does my good bubbly sourdough starter develop a fine grey mold on its surface, even when fed? Is this an okay ? Is it a matter of contamination or even temperature....? I usually throw it out and wait quite a while before trying again.

Mold forms on any food in contact with the air. The easiest way to prevent it is to stir the sponge (or in a more solid state knead the dough) every day or two. This way the surface is constantly renewed, and invisible surface mold is essentially drowned and never has a chance to develop. If the mold develops, start again, no need to wait.

December 25Should I supplement?

There is so much hype, and probably with good reason, about the Product "Primal Defence". If I am incorporating a regiment of fermented foods,(including kraut, kefir and kombucha) should I also take a product such a PD?

I have a preference against supplementation and strongly believe that you can always get superior nutrition from food. I think that incorporating a variety of live-culture foods into the diet is better than probiotic supplementation. Supplementation is for people who think they are too busy to spend time preparing nutritious food.