How to deal with mold on pickle?
I made a pickle by placing cucumber in a solution of water+vinegar+salt, and left it for 3 weeks. When I opened it, it was covered with white mold all over the solution.
Can I skim the mold from the solution and use the pickle? Does it go inside the solution and cucumbers?
What is the reason for the formation of mold, and how can I avoid it in the future?
Can it be
kahm yeast? If yes, how can I tell it from mold?
Best Answer
If your solution grew mold, it would indicate that either the container wasn't sufficiently sterilized before sealing or (probably and) the solution wasn't sufficiently acidic. This can usually be ensured by following a recipe that is known to be good, which should have factors like acidity and water activity accounted for.
As for kahm yeast, it seems that this occurs more frequently on cultured vegetables which would spend some of their time in a less acidic environment (while the culture develops and acidifies). I suppose you could culture it and test it, but when in doubt I'd just toss it.
Pictures about "How to deal with mold on pickle?"
Quick Answer about "How to deal with mold on pickle?"
Really! If you taste mold or anything feels off than I would say compost that batch. If it is fine then you can refrigerate the pickles. You will likely have to add a fresh bit of salt brine to make sure that they are fully submerged again.Can you eat pickles with mold?
What To Do if Mold is Present. Simply scrape off the top layer, give the container a few seconds to air out, then test aroma and flavor. If it smells ok, taste a little bit. If it tastes ok, it should be fine to consume.Why is there mold in my pickles?
It can form when the ferment is exposed to air, if the salt ratio is wrong, if the vegetables and tools aren't clean, if you use chlorinated water, and other things. There are some pictures of mold growing on pickles in this article by the Fermentation Podcast.Can pickles mold in the fridge?
While pickles can last for years in an unopened jar, once you open the jar, the clock will start ticking. The good news is that if you keep them in your fridge under the right conditions, that clock can tick for up to three months.Does mold ruin a ferment?
The main difference is that yeast is a single-celled organism and mold is multi-cellular filaments. The yeasts found in ferments are not usually very harmful but can make a fermented food taste a little off. Mold ruins ferments, and must be thrown out.How to prevent fungus from the pickle.
More answers regarding how to deal with mold on pickle?
Answer 2
As for 3, Kahm yeast appears as a mostly uniform white film on the solution. It's mostly harmless.
Check out this link for fermented veggie troubleshooting.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Sora Shimazaki, Sora Shimazaki, Sora Shimazaki, MART PRODUCTION