Is this layer on top of my fermented peppers mold? If it is not, is it still safe to eat?
I'm fermenting my home grown scotch bonnets, and I'm concerned that they're molding and are no longer edible.
My setup was an open container, with a relatively high salt to water concentration (I don't remember specifics. I googled proper fermentation salt contents, and used a high value, maybe 10%). I used another cleaned jar to weigh down the peppers in the solution, so there was very little air contact.
Unfortunately I had to change the container they were in, because I moved to a new apartment and couldn't transport them in the original fermentation container.
I washed the container before using it, and added more salt to the solution, since they were already fermented and I was only concerned about them spoiling.
Not long after changing containers, the ferment got brown clouds of something, but since they smelled good, I didn't worry too much.
Now, however, there is a translucent film on top of my solution, which is bad enough, and also puffs of mold around the top of the container.
Here's my theory on what this is: the layer on top of my solution is yeast, and some bits of pepper stuck to the lid are molding. However, I'm looking for some more opinions before risking eating these.
What I was planning to do was blend these into hot sauce. Is this still safe to do, since it would end up in my fridge for several weeks? Or should I use them up ASAP? Or is it dangerous and I should pitch all of it?
Best Answer
The growth of yeast is already slowed down by the approximately 2-3 bakers percent salt content in a dough, which makes round about 1-1.5% in total. So I doubt yeast will grow on a brine with 10% salt content.
Also I’m very sure the stuff on the rim of your jar definitively is mold and mold that is growing unintentional should never be considered safe to eat. Even if the stuff on top of the brine might be (partially) crystalized flakes of salt there is a high risk that the spores from the rim already have spread into your product. So, I’m sorry that I have to recommend to dispose this batch and to start over with a carefully sterilized container.
Pictures about "Is this layer on top of my fermented peppers mold? If it is not, is it still safe to eat?"
Quick Answer about "Is this layer on top of my fermented peppers mold? If it is not, is it still safe to eat?"
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.How do you know when fermented peppers are bad?
A spoiled ferment will smell rancid, like rotting broccoli. A good ferment will have a pleasant sour smell. Note: If there's Kahm Yeast present it may have a strong smell, but once scraped away it should have a pleasant sour smell if it's not spoiled. A spoiled ferment may be slimy in texture.Can fermented foods mold?
Mold can be round and fuzzy, blue, black or pink and can appear on the surface of your ferment. 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.What is the white stuff in fermented peppers?
The white milky substance that commonly appears on the surface of fermented vegetables is kahm yeast. It's a type of wild yeast and it's not harmful. It's not very attractive and it can cause a bad odor if left alone. If you see this appear, skim the kahm yeast off the surface.What is the white film on top of my sauerkraut?
When fermenting vegetables, it is common to notice a white layer forming on top of the liquid after a few days. Often this white film is mistaken for mold, and the entire ferment is discarded. However, the white film is usually a type of yeast known as kahm yeast.Identifying Yeast \u0026 Mold in Fermentation
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Lukas, ROMAN ODINTSOV, Maarten van den Heuvel, Lukas