The Ferment Farm

Fermented Veggies - Wild Ferment!

Fermented vegetables process Fermented vegetables top view Fermented vegetables short jar

“With fermented products there is no safety concern. I can flat-out say that. The reason is the lactic acid bacteria that carry out the fermentation are the world’s best killers of other bacteria.”

Fred Breidt, microbiologist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (Source: San Francisco Gate)

Overview

In a nutshell…So, what happens in sauerkraut and how do we know it’s safe? When shredded cabbage is mixed with salt at a ratio of roughly 2% (by weight), osmosis pulls the juice out of the vegetables, submerging them in a salty brine. Fresh vegetables, such as cabbage, are literally teeming with microbes both good and bad, but mostly good. Fortunately, it’s the good guys who love the salty brine – they quickly use up the available oxygen and the brine is then anaerobic, meaning it lacks oxygen. That lack of oxygen prevents the bad microbes that would spoil our food from taking hold. As the good bacteria multiply they create lactic acid, lowering the pH of the brine so that toxic organisms cannot reproduce. The lactic-acid bacteria thrive in this salty, acidic environment. They consume the starches in the cabbage, creating more lactic acid, carbon dioxide, and enzymes. Eventually they consume all the starches and their lifecycles are complete.

Source: Killer Pickles

Recipe: Fermented Mixed Veggies

Ingredients:

1 large cabbage, cored and shredded (keep one large leaf aside for use as a “lid”)
1-2 cup carrots, grated
2 english cucumbers sliced (wash but do not peel)
2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and very finely sliced
1 bunch dill chopped
3 tbsp salt per 5 pounds of veggies

You may add herbs and spices to taste based on personal preference. Cilantro, hot peppers, oregano etc…

Instructions:

In a large bowl mix all veggies and sea salt
Pound with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer for about 10 minutes to release juices
Place in 3 quart-sized, wide mouth mason jars and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage
Take the leaf of cabbage and fold it so it fits snugly over the top of the vegetable mixture. The top of the cabbage leaf should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jars
Cover with cheese cloth and place in a pan (because juices may run over during the week)
Keep at room temperature for about 7 days before transferring to cold storage
Check each day to make sure the liquid remains above the vegetable mixture
You may weigh down the mixture with a glass placed onto the vegetables but underneath the cheese cloth
This will make enough to fill up to three quart jars

To read more about the process of fermentation refer to Wild Fermentation for easy to understand information.

Many more pictures on our product line website

Step-by-Step Photos

Or…if you have access to a food processor:

First pic shows a nicely cleaned food processor—ready to get messy AGAIN because I decided to throw all my leftover vegies (and more importantly the forgotten sprouted garlic/cilantro & dill) into the batch. When cooking/playing with food is mandatory, this case smashing the veggies with a glass jar helps to release the juices.

The last pic shows smaller jars used to press the cabbage leaf “hat” that helps hold the mass under the juice. The coffee filters allow breathing and prevent bugs/dust contamination.

You can also find some more pictures on our Moonstone Ferments site.

Research and Tips

Slimy Ferments Prevention Article

Source: Got Slimy Ferments PDF

4 Reasons your cultured veggies might turn slimy:

Not enough salt (salt inhibits the bacteria strains that we don’t want from predominating)
One of the bacteria that cultures veggies is a slime producing one, the veggie’s indigenous bacteria undergoes a natural succession: first coliform bacteria are favored, then the slimy Leuconostoc are favored, and finally the lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacilli predominate and essentially eliminate the coliforms and Leuconostoc
There are some strains in whey that can make slime too
Lb. planterum can also make kraut slimy

Here are your choices when you get one of those rare slimy ferments:

The best thing to do with slimy ferments is put it back in the fridge and let it ferment for a few more weeks and see if the slime is gone. Over time, some people have found that as the lactic acid bacteria predominate, the slime goes away
Others just rinse the slime off the veggies (your ferment is not considered bad from a microbial standpoint)

Here is what to do to prevent slimy ferments:

If you want to use less salt, maybe next time put a little lemon juice or unpasteurized apple cider vinegar in there to prevent the slime promoting bacteria from predominating when you use less salt. Try the juice of half a lemon or 2 Tbsp of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. The strains of bacteria that we really want, thrive in that acid medium (lactic acid fermentation)

How Vegetable Fermentation Works Article

Source: https://www.facebook.com/notes/wild-fermentation/how-vegetable-fermentation-works-/10151520254610369

By Sarah Nelson Miller on Sunday, June 16, 2013 at 1:29pm © Wild Fermentation Facebook Group

PRINCIPLES OF LACTIC ACID FERMENTATION

Lactic acid fermentation is a consistent and well-documented process observed by scientists who have studied sauerkraut, kimchi, and other traditionally fermented vegetables.

IN ORDER TO GROW, BACTERIA NEED: FOOD, WARMTH, WATER, AND TIME.

Food: Fermentation is a process that converts glucose into lactic acid (and ethanol and carbon dioxide, in lesser amounts)
Temperature: The bacteria involved function best at a temperature range of 59° to 72°F
Water: Bacteria require moisture to reproduce. Low-moisture foods are preserved because the bacteria contained in them are unable to replicate
Time: Lactic acid fermentation of vegetables is a process that proceeds through several stages of bacterial growth (detailed below). How much time it takes depends on how much food there is for the bacteria to eat (vegetables fermented in their own juices have more glucose than those in a salt-water brine) and how warm it is (warmer temperatures speed up the process). Generally speaking, it is a process that takes weeks, not days
Salt: lactic acid bacteria are generally quite tolerant of salt, which enables them to thrive in a salty brine while less desirable bacteria perish. Additionally, salt neutralizes the pectinase enzyme which can make vegetables mushy

Overview of Fermentation

Vegetables should be submerged in a salty brine - between 1% and 3% salinity. Soil-based organisms will quickly use up the oxygen, creating an anaerobic environment. They excrete lactic acid, which preserves the fermented vegetables and gives them their distinctive, tangy flavor.

Fermentation is initiated by Leuconostoc mesenteroides. They will raise acidity to 0.3%, which is their threshold so they begin to die.

Lactobacillus plantarum take over next, and raise the acidity to 2%, at which point they begin to wane.

Lactobacillus brevis works in the final stage, raising acidity to about 2.5%. The pH will be about 3.4 at completion. At this point the ferment is well-preserved and can be stored in a cool place for many months without spoiling.

Although those are the primary lactic acid bacteria responsible for vegetable fermentation, there are many other microbes present, including yeasts (which produce alcohol) and acetobacter (which produce acetic acid).

Temps above 72°F, salinity above 3%, and acidity above 0.3% will inhibit L. mesenteroides, bypassing the first stage of fermentation. Tests done under these conditions created sauerkraut that was described as being “poor, unbalanced, and less complex” due to the lack of different metabolites.

Sources: The Handbook of Functional Fermented Foods, and the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Fermented Fruits and Vegetables handbook: FAO Handbook

This original document is the property of the Wild Fermentation Facebook Group.

Safety of Fermented Vegetables Article

Source: Safety of Fermented Vegetables

By Sarah Nelson Miller on Sunday, August 31, 2014 at 1:33pm © Wild Fermentation Facebook Group

Examining the Safety and Risks of Fermented Vegetables

Pathogenic Contamination

Food can be contaminated with pathogens which are not detectable by sight, odor, or taste. The pathogens responsible for food-borne illnesses that may be present on vegetables are:

Clostridium botulinum
Listeria monocytogenes
Salmonella enterica
Escherichia coli

All of these microbes are widespread in the environment and some also inhabit the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other mammals. Any food in its raw state may be a carrier of these bacteria, and C. botulinum and L. monocytogenes particularly are associated with raw vegetables as they are soil-based organisms. Washing generally removes these organisms. Cooking will often neutralize them. Another method for rendering raw food safe is fermentation.

Vegetable fermentation results in the production of organic acids. Finished sauerkraut has a pH of 3.4. Organic acids neutralize food-borne pathogens by disrupting their reproductive cycle. All of the pathogens listed above (and many others) require a neutral pH to reproduce. The minimum pH for reproductive activity of these pathogens is: C. botulinum - 4.6; L. monocytogenes - 4.3; S. enterica - 6.5; E. coli - 4.4. However, this is the minimum pH under ideal conditions. The conditions in fermented vegetables are decidedly less than ideal due to the presence of lactobacillus bacteria and lactic acid. Scientists have found that different kinds of organic acids have different impacts on food-borne pathogens, and lactic acid is more inhibitory than other acids, including hydrochloric acid. This means that sauerkraut and pickles are more toxic to pathogens than our own stomachs.

Lactobacillus bacteria, particularly Lb. plantarum (one of the primary agents in vegetable fermentation) produce bacteriocins, which are toxins that inhibit competing bacteria. They have also been found to inhibit pathogenic bacteria. Bacteriocins, and the bacteria that produce them, are considered to be “bio-preservatives” of food by preventing spoilage and contamination.

Finally, please consider this quote from Fred Breidt, microbiologist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture:

“With fermented products there is no safety concern. I can flat-out say that. The reason is the lactic acid bacteria that carry out the fermentation are the world’s best killers of other bacteria.”

Source: San Francisco Gate

And watch this video by Sandor Katz: YouTube Video

Spoilage

Spoilage is detectable deterioration which renders food inedible. It is caused by enzymes, oxidation, and microorganisms, especially mold. Food that is spoiled has a foul odor and appearance. Fermentation protects against spoilage in a number of ways:

Enzymes are inhibited both by salt and by lactic acid. If insufficient salt is used, a ferment may become mushy
Oxidation (browning) is prevented by submerging vegetables in brine. It may occur if food is not kept under the brine. Oxidation is harmless (like brown apples) but undesirable. Remove oxidized portions before eating the rest
Microorganisms are inhibited by the presence of lactic acid and the lack of oxygen

Vegetables fermented in an open container may be subject to surface growths, or scum. A white, powdery or thready growth is known colloquially as “kahm yeast” and is harmless. It is an overgrowth of an undesirable bacteria or yeast. It should be skimmed off so as not to affect the flavor of the ferment. In brewing, this growth is known as a “pellicle.”

Mold will present itself as a furry or fuzzy growth, often forming spores which are black, green, or blue. It will have a musty odor. Mold can send invisible tendrils down into soft foods. Some molds are able to produce mycotoxins, which cause illness. The USDA recommends discarding any soft food that is contaminated with mold.

Surface growths such as kahm yeast and mold require oxygen to occur. They can be prevented by covering your ferment with a lid to exclude oxygen. If you are unsure what you are seeing on a ferment, these photos may help: Facebook Photo Album

Information in this file is applicable to vegetable fermentation only. Fermentation of meats and cheeses require other safety considerations.

What Happens During the Ferment Cycles

Salt, in normal water (which is normally pH 7.0), is used to drop the pH slightly and provide the perfect environment for the 1st stage bacteria in the fermentation process to proceed and grow very well, and do their initial critical toxin disassembly, and other unlocking procedures within the plant material. It is all a very natural progression designed into nature. The best reason for using salt brine is the natural cycle of fermentation. Ideally what happens in a salt (saline brine solution) is that it provides the correct environment for the first stage bacteria to flourish, instead of harmful ones. Mostly, it is a pH thing that determines safe fermentation. All things ferment, it is whether the ferment is on safe or unsafe terms is all. (Even a deadly or bad bacteria ferment is still fermentation…how we control it determines the end product). - Lance Hancherow

”New” Function of Your Stomach Article

Source: Mercola Article

A rediscovered study from 1948 may reveal an amazing “new” function of your stomach: filtering out pathogenic microbes before they can pass through to your intestinal tract. As you age, your healthy gut flora diminishes and your stomach becomes less acidic, which may set you up for gastrointestinal dysbiosis and a number of serious health problems that follow from it, including dementia. Beneficial gut bacteria play important roles in vitamin production, mineral absorption, detoxification, and helping prevent diabetes, digestive issues, neurological problems, cardiovascular disease, and even acne.

Your microbiota also plays a large role in your metabolism; sugar, refined carbohydrates and junk foods cause certain bacteria to release endotoxins, which drive inflammation and cause metabolic changes that result in overproduction of insulin, increased appetite, increased fat storage and obesity.

One of the best ways to protect your health is by keeping your gut flora healthy with naturally fermented foods; one-quarter to one-half cup of fermented veggies with each meal is ideal, but you may need to work up to this gradually; instructions are given for how to make your own naturally fermented vegetables at home with just a few simple tools.

Salt Guidelines

Source: Salt Guidelines

By Sarah Nelson Miller on Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 1:48pm © Wild Fermentation Facebook Group

Salt’s Purpose

Salt serves a useful function in fermenting vegetables, beyond the flavor it contributes. Salt helps to harden the pectins in vegetables. Fresh produce carries enzymes that decompose and soften them; salt helps to neutralize this enzyme. Salt also works by exclusion, preventing spoilage organisms from becoming dominant. With no salt very few organisms are excluded. As salt levels are increased more organisms are excluded. At very high levels of salt, no organisms can reproduce. Best results are achieved when one uses enough salt to disable enzymes and exclude spoilage organisms, but not so much that good lactic acid bacteria won’t function.

Types of Salt

A natural salt is the best choice for fermenting. If using a refined salt, choose one that is pure sodium chloride and does not contain any anti-caking agents or iodine. Salts with these additives can make the brine turn cloudy and leave sediment at the bottom, or cause a darkening or discoloration of the vegetables.

Unrefined salts with all their minerals intact are recommended because trace minerals facilitate the enzymatic processes which occur in fermentation. Unrefined salts are usually light pink or gray in color. Popular choices are sea salts, Himalayan Pink, Celtic Grey, and Redmond Real Salt.

Salt Grind

Recipes are usually written for fine grind table salt. There is a slight variation in the density of various brands of salt, so that 1 tablespoon of one kind might weigh slightly more than 1 tablespoon of another, but not enough to have marked impact on the percent of salt in the final product. Kosher grind salt can be used in place of fine grind, with no adjustments. Salt can be weighed on a scale if precision measurements are desired.

Mixing a Salt Brine

Vegetables can be fermented in brines from 1.5% to 5%. There are several bacteria that work together to ferment vegetables and they all have a different optimum salinity. A brine of 2% to 3% will tend to achieve the best flavor profile. Brines higher than 5% will curtail bacterial activity.

Cucumber pickles should be fermented in a brine of 3.5% for half-sours or 5% for full-sours.

Below are instructions for mixing brines. I weighed Real Salt brand fine grind (table salt) to get these measurements. Measure salt and stir into cool water until dissolved.

For 1 quart of water:

2% = 19g or 1 tablespoon
2.5% = 24g or 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
3.5% = 33g or 2 tablespoons
5% = 48g or 3 tablespoons

Dry-Salting Vegetables

Dry-salting means you mix salt with sliced or grated vegetables to draw liquid out so they create their own brine. This is the method used for sauerkraut and sauerruben. Measure salt as a percentage of the weight of the vegetables. Again, a range of salinity will work but best flavor will be achieved at about 2%. I also used Real Salt fine grind to calculate these measurements.

Vegetables (pounds) to salt (grams):

1/2# : 5g or 1 teaspoon
1# : 9g or 2 teaspoons
2# : 18g or 1 scant tablespoon
2.5# : 23g or 1 rounded tablespoon
3# : 27g or 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons
3.5# : 32g or 2 scant tablespoons
4# : 36g or 2 tablespoons
5# : 45g or 3 tablespoons
10# : 91g or 5 tablespoons

Lower Sodium Ferments

It is possible to ferment without salt, but there is more risk of spoilage, the vegetables may get mushy, and the shelf life will be shortened. Proper salinity helps keep vegetables crisp and encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria. If you choose a natural, unrefined salt you will also be providing the lactic acid bacteria and yourself with necessary trace minerals. For a no-salt ferment, use of spices such as caraway, coriander, ginger, garlic, or fennel is recommended as they will aid in exclusion of spoilage organisms. Please note that although there are “no-salt” recipes that call for celery juice, celery is naturally high in both sodium and nitrates, so this may not be the low sodium alternative one seeks.

Good results can be achieved with 1% salinity in a kraut or 1.5% salinity in a brine. If seeking to reduce sodium as much as possible it is important to purchase a good digital scale with tare function. To make a lower sodium dry-salted ferment, such as a kraut, trim the vegetables, chop, and weigh them. Then weigh the salt at a ratio of 1% the weight of the vegetables. To make a 1.5% brine, add 15g salt to 1 liter of water.

It’s not necessary to use any kind of starter in low sodium ferments, but one can add a small amount of vinegar (about 2tsp per quart) to disable the enzymes and deter spoilage organisms.

Plastic vs Glass

Since ferments are known to have the ability to detox, I’m especially concerned about the potential for ferments to pull toxins into the brine. Estrogenic disruptors have been found to leach from almost all plastics. Therefore, I will only allow glass, clay, or wood to touch all of my fermented foods. In addition, acid has an effect on the leeching rate of plastics. Many articles tell you not to put acidic liquids into a plastic container because BPA would leach into them. It stands to reason that if BPA would leach with acid, it’s quite possible that other bisphenol compounds would, too. Ferments are acidic, so I don’t want them anywhere near any plastic until we know more about the leeching issue. All kinds of magic happen on micro chemical, electrical, and biological levels…why put plastic into the mix?

Research on Plastic Leaching

Additional Fermentation Links and Resources

General Information


Debunking the Botulism Fear	Wild Fermentation Forum
Is It Possible to Get Too MUCH Fermented Food in Your Diet?	Body Ecology
Food Preservation	Food Preservation Methods
Making and Eating Fermented Foods: Why and How	Sustain Jefferson PDF
Fermented fruits and vegetables. A global perspective	FAO Handbook
Solid-state fermentation: a promising microbial technology	Springer Article
Slimy ferments & how to prevent	Domestic Diva PDF
Lacto-fermentation Without Added Salt	About.com
Sodium Nitrate Vs. Sodium Nitrite	SF Gate
Hazards of cheap food from China (garlic?)	Spiegel
Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS	GNOWFGLINS
Yemoos Nourishing Cultures	Yemoos
Lactobacillus Serum- drain cleaner, odor eater, etc	Unconventional Farmer
Is Topping a Ferment With Oil An Acceptable Replacement for an Anaerobic Environment?	Intentionally Domestic
Sauerkraut Survivor – Final Report	Nourishing Treasures
Making healthy living accessible - LantauMama Food and Fermentation	LantauMama
Is this Mold on My Ferment, or Kahm Yeast?	Phickle
Homemade Probiotic Deodorant	Expand Your Consciousness

Recipes

Recipe	Link
Salt Calculator	Pickl-it Calculator
Sauerkraut Fermentation	Food Preservation Methods
Homemade Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce	Frugally Sustainable
Fermenting the Harvest: Corn Relish, Pickles and Curtido	Frugal Home and Health
Beet Kvass Recipe	Beyond Paleo
Curried Lacto-fermented Cauliflower	Cultures for Health
Lacto-fermented Apple Sauce	Cultures for Health
Dom’s Culture-Foods of Asia	Dom’s Koji
How to make raw food fermented vegan cabbage sauerkraut	Healthy Bliss
Seaweed snacks	Seaweed Snacks Blog
Moroccan Preserved Lemon Recipe	Nourished Kitchen
Fruit Enzymes: DIY Ferment	My Island Penang
Healthy Fruit Enzyme Recipes	Detox Body Detox
DIY Fruit Enzyme Ferment directions	Health Xchange
Grape Enzyme recipe	Yum Yum Dessert
Fruit Enzyme Peels (skin)	Chemical Peel Guru
GANGNAM KITCHEN - Simple Korean Recipes	Gangnam Kitchen
Rhubarb & Honey Soda	And Here We Are

Kimchi Specific Resources


Go-chu-ga-ru Red Chili Pepper Powder	Tri Food
Hot pepper flakes (Gochugaru)	Maangchi
Cooking With Kimchi	NY Times
Cucumber & Nasturtium Kimchee	The Prepper Dome
Going Wild With Kimchi!	Gather Victoria
Kimchi is a Keeper - Korean favorite now mainstream	Feed Me Heartfully
Vegan Kimchi	Serious Eats
Health benefits of kimchi	PubMed
Beyond Kimchee	Beyond Kimchee
The 11 Greatest Recipes to Ever Happen to Kimchi	Chow
Daikon kimchi (daichi)	Fentastic Life

Equipment


Properties Of Glass: Chemical	Corning Museum
Uranium glass - Wikipedia	Wikipedia
Harsch Earthenware Fermentation Crock	Wisemen Trading
DIY Airlock for Fermentation	Learning and Yearning
Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals	NCBI
Junk plastic! Intentionally Domestic	Intentionally Domestic
Chemical Compatibility Chart	Calpac Lab
55 Gallon Drums Food Grade	Baytec Containers
Best Water Filter Options	Wellness Mama
Bottle Bright - Natural cleaner for drinking vessels	Clean Ethics
What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?	NY Times

Health Benefits


Probiotics and Mental Health	CTV News
Immune Boosting Fire Cider	Nature’s Nurture
Antimicrobial activity of garlic	PubMed
This is The Most Powerful Natural Antibiotic Ever	Earth We Are One
S.Korea: Health-boosting Kimchi Bacteria	NHK World
Probiotics, Prebiotics, Yogurt, Acidophilus, Lactobacillus, Kefir	Probiotic.org
Sequence-based analysis of the bacteria	PubMed
Fermenting for Foodies	Fermenting for Foodies

Books

Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz (Highly Recommended)
Nourishing Traditions
The Probiotic Book - Relief Mart

It's All About The Gut