Content
It is very rare for kombucha to become moldy, but if it does, something has gone wrong. Perhaps sanitation, care rules are violated, infection was brought in by insects, or the indoor air is simply dirty. In any case, you need to find the cause and eliminate it.
Why does kombucha grow moldy in a jar?
A sign of healthy kombucha is when a jellyfish floats on the surface of the liquid inside the jar. If a mushroom gets sick or starts to disappear, it sinks to the bottom, but not always right away. Mold may appear first. It grows on the surface of the medusomycete, which, while still floating, is in contact with the air. There are many reasons for the appearance of the disease, but most often it occurs due to dirty air with cigarette smoke or a drink cooling below the permissible temperature 18 OWITH.
The appearance of mold on the surface of the drink indicates deterioration of the tea jellyfish.
When kombucha becomes moldy, you can give it resuscitation. The area with mold is removed, the jellyfish is washed with warm water, and kept overnight in apple cider vinegar. In the morning, the medusomycete is placed in a sterilized jar, filled with prepared tea syrup with the addition of 1 tbsp. l. vinegar.
What kind of mold appears in a jar of kombucha?
Mold is insidious and can even be dangerous to your health. White plaque is considered the safest. However, most often, when a tea jellyfish disappears, two types of mold settle on it:
- The green coating sometimes takes on shades of blue. A dangerous type of mold is called Penicillum notatum.
- A black coating is formed by no less dangerous fungi “Aspergillus niger”.
If black or green mold with blue tints has formed on the kombucha, it is better to throw it away and grow a new jellyfish.
Why is mold growing on kombucha dangerous?
Molds survive in the worst conditions. You can't just get rid of them. It is not reasonable to revive a tea jellyfish on which formations of blue, green or black flowers have appeared. It is not a fact that after washing the kombucha in a new jar, the jellyfish will grow without mold. Fungal spores are difficult to remove, and the remaining ones multiply quickly.
However, if your kombucha grows moldy with a white coating, it is worth saving. You can try to revive kombucha affected by green or black mold, but at the initial stage, when the first signs have just appeared.
List of reasons why kombucha becomes moldy
The main reason for the appearance of mold is non-compliance with the technology for growing tea medusomycetes. If we consider each nuance separately, there are quite a lot of them.
Mold first appears on the surface of the drink in small circles, and then grows throughout the liquid surface.
Violation of sanitary rules
Often the main reason why kombucha becomes moldy is unsanitary conditions. The drink should not be placed near dirty dishes, vegetables, fruits, open canned food, or in places of contact with pets. When pouring the drink or handling the tea jellyfish, your hands must be clean. The table, jar, and cutlery are washed with hot water.
Violation of the rules of care
It is optimal to care for medusomycetes while wearing medical rubber gloves. Only they can ensure sanitary cleanliness. This is especially true for women with long manicures. Many pathogenic bacteria collect under the nails, which lead to the appearance of mold. If you don't have a long manicure, you can do without gloves, but you should wash your hands with antibacterial soap. Even short-cut nails are cleaned with a brush.
Violation of cooking rules
The kombucha drink is prepared according to a simple recipe. If you do not follow this rule, green or black mold will grow inside the jar instead of kombucha. When purchasing tea for refilling, you should not take old expired products or goods in damaged or dirty packaging. There will definitely be spores of moldy fungi inside.It is important to use clean cutlery when preparing a drink.
Contaminated air
Mold always reproduces in a favorable environment: humid and polluted air, temperature below + 18 OC. If there is such an atmosphere in the room, the mushroom will definitely become moldy. You cannot smoke inside the room with the tea jellyfish. When the room is damp, there are spots of mold on the walls, the neck of the jar must be covered with a cloth, several layers of gauze or a napkin. It is important to wash the fabric cover more often, as mold spores accumulate on its surface.
Poor quality brewing
The tea jellyfish is sensitive to poor-quality tea leaves. You cannot use old teas, especially those flavored with different essences. Aroma oils contribute to the formation of mold, as they weaken the immune system of kombucha. In addition, such teas also contain a dye that has a negative effect on the fungus.
Unwanted "neighbors"
Kombucha does not like close proximity to animals, birds, aquariums, food and dishes of pets. You cannot place flowers near a jar with a tea jellyfish, either cut bouquets or crops growing in a flower pot.
What to do if mold appears on kombucha
Kombucha growers have come up with several ways to save the fungus from mold:
- If mold appears on the surface of the kombucha, the entire drink from the can is poured down the drain. The jellyfish is removed from the container and thoroughly wiped with freshly squeezed lemon juice or 10% wine vinegar.Kombucha is placed in a sterilized jar, filled with fresh tea dressing, and 1-2 tbsp is added. l. vinegar.
- When the body of the fungus is affected by green or black mold, blue, red, and purple spots appear, these areas are removed from the jellyfish. The kombucha is thoroughly washed with clean water. All loose areas of the body are similarly removed during washing. The remaining part of the healthy mushroom is placed in a sterilized jar and filled with tea leaves.
- When kombucha becomes moldy, you can revive it with apple cider vinegar. First, traditionally, the jellyfish is washed with clean water. Damaged areas are removed. The mushroom is placed in a bowl with pure apple cider vinegar, washed thoroughly, and the acid is rubbed into the body of the kombucha with your hands. The reanimated tea jellyfish is sent to a sterilized jar and filled with new tea leaves.
A healthy tea jellyfish always floats on the surface
When the degree of mold damage is large, resuscitation of the fungus should not be done. Better to grow new kombucha.
Is it possible to drink a drink if there is mold on the surface of the kombucha?
Mold fungi are insidious and dangerous. It is strictly forbidden to drink a moldy drink. At best, you can get away with gastrointestinal upset. In the worst case, allergic reactions and complex forms of digestive system disease will appear. At the first signs of mold, the entire drink should be poured down the drain.
The appearance of a moldy film indicates the unsuitability of the drink
Sometimes the surface of the mushroom is covered with a faint white coating. It is often confused with mold. In fact, the problem occurs when the jellyfish is washed frequently. In summer, the procedure should be carried out once a week, and in winter – once every two weeks.
Prevention measures
Kombucha growers adhere to seven basic rules to prevent jellyfish disease:
- The mushroom needs a constant favorable microclimate. Jellyfish are kept in liquid at a temperature of 18 to 25 OC. You cannot pour hot dressing into the jar. The neckline is always tied with breathable fabric.
- Choose a warm place in the room for the jar, away from the window, dirty dishes, plants and pets. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
- The air temperature in the room should not fall below 17 OC. Under such conditions, the mushroom does not grow.
- Maintaining sanitation is a surefire way to success. You cannot handle the tea jellyfish with dirty hands. For washing use warm boiled water.
- It is unacceptable to pour undissolved sugar into the jar. The grains form burns on the body of the kombucha.
- Always leave a glass of liquid for fermentation from the drained drink. It is poured into a new gas station.
- The fermentation process cannot be increased. The finished drink must be drained in a timely manner.
All seven rules are simple. It is easier to comply with them than to revive the mushroom later.
Compliance with preventive measures will prevent the tasty and healthy drink from becoming moldy.
From the video you can learn about growing kombucha:
Conclusion
Kombucha becomes moldy more often than not due to the fault of the owners themselves. If you follow the technology for growing kombucha, you can avoid troubles.
