I joined this subreddit to learn more about fermentation. It's a new hobby (+/- 2 years) and its really fun!

The thing is, I'm not learning anything except that people are completely stupid - "is this going bad?", "is this mold?". The same questions are being asked over and over and unfortunately this is more of a safety check sub than an actual fermentation sub.

Just sharing my thoughts, since I am disappointed of what's shared here.

Quite interesting, although may bristle some feathers. Sharing this from nutritionfacts.org:

For decades, Japan has had the longest life expectancy in the world, while spending just a fraction on healthcare compared to other high-income countries. This longevity has been attributed in part to Japanese dietary patterns, which are thought to have contributed to their comparatively low rates of coronary artery disease. Japan has historically had among the lowest rates of colon cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and blood cancers. Japan, however, has among the highest rates of stomach cancer. Yes, Japanese men may have had seven times less prostate cancer than Americans but got six times more stomach cancer. Is there some Achilles’ heel in the Japanese diet?

One of the first theories, proposed in the 1970s, was that it was the talc used to polish white rice to give it a glossy sheen. That was the case with ovarian cancer, which led to billions in damages against Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder, as I detailed in a previous video, but that did not appear to be the case with stomach cancer. Is it just genetics? No. Studies on Japanese migrants show that as they and their children Westernize their diets and lifestyles, their stomach cancer rates drop accordingly.

Well, the most well-established risk factor for stomach cancer is H. pylori, a bacteria that infects the lining of the stomach and causes the chronic inflammation that can lead to cancer. H. pylori infection is considered a Group 1 carcinogen, indicating our highest level of certainty that it indeed causes cancer. Korea and Japan have the highest rates of stomach cancer, and among the highest incidence of H. pylori infection. Case closed, then, right? The mystery seemed to have been solved.

But then came the “African enigma.” Countries such as Nigeria had even more H. pylori, but only a fraction of Japan’s stomach cancer rates. Then came the “Indian enigma.” H. pylori is twice as prevalent in India than Japan, yet Indians get ten times less stomach cancer. Obviously, H. pylori alone can’t explain Japan’s epidemic.

Though most cases of stomach cancer are thought to be caused by H. pylori, most people with H. pylori don’t get cancer. H. pylori is one of the most common human infections. It has been estimated that half of the world’s adult population is infected with H. pylori, yet half of us don’t get stomach cancer. There must be some kind of co-factor in countries like Korea and Japan that explains their elevated cancer rates. The inflammation caused by H. pylori may just set the stage for cancer formation, increasing the susceptibility of the stomach lining to dietary carcinogens. But what’s so carcinogenic about Korean and Japanese diets?

Studies that have compared the dietary components of different Asian populations with similar H. pylori rates, but dramatically different stomach cancer rates, have suggested preserved, salted foods—both fish and vegetables—as the culprits. Fresh vegetables and fruits, on the other hand, were associated with an 85 percent reduction in stomach cancer odds, whereas consumption of fresh fish doesn’t appear associated with stomach cancer either way.

A review of sixty studies found that the consumption of pickled foods was associated with significantly higher rates of stomach cancer, though more so in Korea than Japan, perhaps because per-capita Korean consumption of salt-fermented vegetables, like kimchi, is five to eight times greater. You can’t know for sure though, until you put it to the test.

Pickled vegetable extracts can cause DNA damage in cells in a petri dish, but what about in people? Researchers in Vancouver fed people 30 ounces of fukujinzuke (assorted vegetables pickled in soy sauce) or pickled cucumbers over a three-day period. Biopsies taken from their stomach lining before the experiment started were normal, as were the biopsies taken after eating fresh carrots or cucumbers. But after just a few days of consuming pickled vegetables, moderate to severe tissue abnormalities were found, suggestive of stomach irritation.

The consumption of non-fermented soy foods, such as tofu, edamame, and soymilk, is linked to a lower risk of stomach cancer in Japan, whereas no association was found with fermented soy foods—even highly salted miso. The protection afforded by soy foods was attributed to the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of the isoflavone compounds in soybeans.

Salt itself isn’t considered a direct carcinogen, but it may damage the stomach lining, thin the protective mucus layer, enhance H. pylori colonization, enhance the penetration of carcinogens, and enhance the formation of carcinogens. Even moderately high salt intake is associated with significantly increased risk of stomach cancer, though in Japan this effect may be limited to those already suffering from H. pylori-induced inflammation.

Sources: Murray CJ. Why is Japanese life expectancy so high? Lancet. 2011;378(9797):1124-5. Tada N, Maruyama C, Koba S, et al. Japanese dietary lifestyle and cardiovascular disease. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2011;18(9):723-34. Wynder EL, Fujita Y, Harris RE, Hirayama T, Hiyama T. Comparative epidemiology of cancer between the United States and Japan. A second look. Cancer. 1991;67(3):746-63. McCarty MF. Minimizing the cancer-promotional activity of cox-2 as a central strategy in cancer prevention. Med Hypotheses. 2012;78(1):45-57. Stemmermann GN, Kolonel LN. Talc-coated rice as a risk factor for stomach cancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 1978;31(11):2017-9. Inoue M, Tsugane S. Epidemiology of gastric cancer in Japan. Postgrad Med J. 2005;81(957):419-24. Asaka M, Mabe K. Strategies for eliminating death from gastric cancer in Japan. Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci. 2014;90(7):251-8. Humans IWG on the E of CR to. Schistosomes, Liver Flukes and Helicobacter Pylori. IARC. 1994;61:220. Peleteiro B, Bastos A, Ferro A, Lunet N. Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection worldwide: a systematic review of studies with national coverage. Dig Dis Sci. 2014;59(8):1698-709. Holcombe C. Helicobacter pylori: the African enigma. Gut. 1992;33(4):429-31. Misra V, Pandey R, Misra SP, Dwivedi M. Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer: Indian enigma. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(6):1503-9. Fock KM. Review article: the epidemiology and prevention of gastric cancer. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014;40(3):250-60. Plummer M, de Martel C, Vignat J, Ferlay J, Bray F, Franceschi S. Global burden of cancers attributable to infections in 2012: a synthetic analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2016;4(9):e609-16. Yamaguchi N, Kakizoe T. Synergistic interaction between Helicobacter pylori gastritis and diet in gastric cancer. Lancet Oncol. 2001;2(2):88-94. Goh KL, Cheah PL, Md N, Quek KF, Parasakthi N. Ethnicity and H. pylori as risk factors for gastric cancer in Malaysia: A prospective case control study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2007;102(1):40-5. Fang X, Wei J, He X, et al. Landscape of dietary factors associated with risk of gastric cancer: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Eur J Cancer. 2015;51(18):2820-32. Ren JS, Kamangar F, Forman D, Islami F. Pickled food and risk of gastric cancer—a systematic review and meta-analysis of english and chinese literature. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012;21(6):905-15. Cheng SJ, Sala M, Li MH, Wang MY, Pot-Deprun J, Chouroulinkov I. Mutagenic, transforming and promoting effect of pickled vegetables from Linxian county, China. Carcinogenesis. 1980;1(8):685-92. MacDonald WC, Anderson FH, Hashimoto S. Histological effect of certain pickles on the human gastric mucos. Can Med Assoc J. 1967;96(23):1521-5. Wada K, Tsuji M, Tamura T, et al. Soy isoflavone intake and stomach cancer risk in Japan: From the Takayama study. Int J Cancer. 2015;137(4):885-92. Ko KP, Park SK, Yang JJ, et al. Intake of soy products and other foods and gastric cancer risk: a prospective study. J Epidemiol. 2013;23(5):337-43. Kim HJ, Lim SY, Lee JS, et al. Fresh and pickled vegetable consumption and gastric cancer in Japanese and Korean populations: A meta-analysis of observational studies. Cancer Sci. 2010;101(2):508-16. Rojas‐Campos N, Sigarán MF, Bravo AV, Jimenez‐Ulate F, Correa DP. Salt enhances the mutagenicity of nitrosated black beans. Nutr Cancer. 1990;14(1):1-3. D’Elia L, Rossi G, Ippolito R, Cappuccio FP, Strazzullo P. Habitual salt intake and risk of gastric cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective studies. Clin Nutr. 2012;31(4):489-98. Shikata K, Kiyohara Y, Kubo M, et al. A prospective study of dietary salt intake and gastric cancer incidence in a defined Japanese population: The Hisayama study. Int J Cancer. 2006;119(1):196-201. Chey WD, Leontiadis GI, Howden CW, Moss SF. Acg clinical guideline: treatment of helicobacter pylori infection. Am J Gastroenterol. 2017;112(2):212-39. Coleman J. Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $2.1 billion in baby powder lawsuit. The Hill. June 23, 2020.

I am creating a label for my mead bottles. I thought that using something from God of War might be fun. At Ragnarok, Thor visits Kratos with a bottle of mead. I am planning to use this as the background of the label. I am open to suggestions.

Following a recipe in the Noma guide I have been making some beef garum. I opted to go the long ferment way (room temp, 18% salt, 8-9 months). I am nearing the end of month 8 and there is a slime on top. It now smells more fermenty than it ever did before, and the slime doesn’t seem to resemble any kind of mold or fungus. Is the batch done for? Is it just fat or something?

This is a week old ferment with a ton of garlic. I was going to toss it thinking it was mold but when i opened it it smelled.. fine?

I measured the pH, 3.8. I googled blue garlic and it seems to be normal. Is my picture a case of this?

I know. I know. It’s been talked about a lot and explained but I’m wondering as to why it’s such a big part of the conversation if there’s literally never been a single documented case of botulism from garlic honey or any type of honey fermentation. I made a jar and then fell down the rabbit hole of research after I was spooked by internet comments. Obviously it’s something to be cautious of but if it’s never happened.. what’s the spook??

It made my stomach feel like it was glowing. No negative effects though!

There were little table stands with stuff for sale at a bar and I bought this kimchi from this guy. I left it in the paper bag he put it in and this morning noticed it had been leaking. Which means it wasnt sealed. And it is bubbling heavily.

Need some advice here as Google hasn’t been helpful. Put these unripe prunes with sugar to make fermented prunes I did a 1:1 ratio of sugar to prunes, sanitized/boiled everything I used, washed the prunes as well. Sep 3 2025 they went in jars, left them in a cool, dark place until today. I checked them and some of the prunes are floating and have mold on them. Where did I go wrong?

First picture is when I packed them, 2/3 is today.

UPDATE: Kimchi began fermenting like cray about 12 hours later. My bathtub looks like crime scene after degassing.

Yesterday, I made a huge batch of kimchi (first time) aaaaaand I made the rookie mistake of using a TON of iodized salt to dry out the cabbage and the kale (I wanted some extra crunch and fiber).

It wasn't gassy at all today, with the exception of very few air bubbles.

I understand that iodized salt is the subject of debate on this sub, but what do y'all think? Will my kimchi be okay?

I'm not terribly worried about bitterness, since the sheer levels of gochugaru (plus some extra spicy gochujang for good measure) should offset that taste. BUT WILL IT FERMENT?

Will it just take longer to ferment?

Should I up the temperature of my room to increase bacterial proliferation? In general, what temperature should I keep my room at for Kimchi?

How can I salvage my Kimchi

... given me great shits?

I've always pickled things ... though sometimes I tend to get heavy handed with the vinegar. But recently all this fermenting of stuff has given me different, more subtle flavors to enjoy. The fizzy taste of the pickles, the crisp bite and heat of the kimchi, the spectacularly well rounded taste of the beets, and the cloudy probiotic rich brines. All contributing to bowel movements I actually spend time thinking about afterwards.

Here is a crazy bubbling garlic ferment for you to enjoy!

I started massaging my salted cabbage for sauerkraut, only for about a minute or two before I remembered I had a healing burn on my finger and had meant to put gloves on. It’s mostly healed and not bleeding (the salt didn’t even sting) Will my sauerkraut still be safe? Or should I toss it and start over?

I really like the idea of ferminting fruits and drinking the water/juice but due to my religous beliefs I can't drink anything alcohol and I have to keep it at a maximum 0.5% alcohol

So how can I keep it no alcohol and what fruits or recipes would you guys reccoment to me?

I really want to get into this

I would like to know if my tempeh looks okay... there are some green spots, I know the black are the spores but what about the green ones? My first tempeh ferment.

First time fermenter it's been 4 weeks What do yall think.

Almost every introductory fermentation is anaerobic: it works without oxygen. All the usual pickles where you put some fruit or vegetable in salt or salt water, any beer or wine you add yeast to, any recipe that says to use an airlock or burp a closed container.

If a fermentation needs air the recipe will be very specific about that. Vinegar is a common one.

If it doesn't need oxygen, by opening the jar to take a picture of the kahm yeast on the surface, you are replacing the carbon dioxide in the jar with oxygen-filled air that will then be used by the kahm yeast to make more kahm yeast. Or mold. Basically anything bad that only grows on the surface of the fermentation is demonstrably aerobic.

Let it run. There is nothing you're going to do to the fermentation after three days, so don't make it worse by opening it to look at the surface.

This culture supposedly originally contained Lactobacillus rhamnosus/plantarum/casei/ paracasei/gasser/reuteri and Bifidobacterium infantis/longum and I received it from a trusted professional microbiologist interested in custom cultures with rigorous phenotypic expressions. I had tried fruit juices and cooked meat he had fermented with it and it was so delicious and blew my mind. I originally used the culture I got in fruit juice and it multiplied and then I tried the meat with the following recipe:

Cooked Chicken: 4lb Chicken bone Broth: 3.5 cups Raw honey: 2.5 tbsp Tamari: 2.5 tosp Lemon juice + zest: Juice of 1½ lemons (~3 tbsp), zest of 1 Toasted sesame oil: 1.5 tbsp Fresh garlic (grated) 3 large cloves (or ~1.5 tbsp) Fresh ginger (grated) 1.5 tbsp (~25 g) Apple cider vinegar 1.5 tbsp Sea salt: 2.5-3 tbsp (=45 g)

Chicken Broth 3 cups. Cooked Beef Strips 31b. Tamari 3 tosp honey 1.5 tbsp Lemon juice (fresh) 1.5 tbsp Apple cider vinegar 1.5 tbsp Grated ginger 1.5 tbsp Garlic (crushed/minced) 3 cloves Doubanjiang or 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp Sea salt 2.5-3 tbsp (242-45 g)

I let them sit for -4-8 weeks at room temp and it got very acidic and the meat progressively got more tender and then seemed to stabilize near the end. I then went on a long vacation, before I could finish it and I came back and it had been over 6+ months since the initial inoculation and they were just sitting in a closet in the basement. I cautiously checked it out and smelled it and tasted a little broth and to my surprise it tasted the same as it did at 8 weeks and just had a slight film on top. I have now eaten it 10+ times over the past few weeks and it is very acidic and tender and delicious. It is very light on the stomach and makes me feel incredible.

Doing some research it seems that bioactive peptides, SCFA’s, reuterin, etc. are all produced that contribute to the stability and effects of the ferment. Then after the substrate runs out it goes dormant until reactivated in new substrate.

This has just blown my mind and was curious if anyone else has explored this realm of fermentation at all? Seems like there’s a lot of potential to explore different recipes and variations which I’m excited to explore.