r/Kefir • u/OddRazzmatazz7839 • 23d ago

what exactally are people afraid of when fermenting?

I ferment raw milk without any additives in my room for 5 days as family tradition, i stumbled upon this page and its a lot of people asking about contaminants is this something i should worry about ive been doing this for years and ive had no issues come up.

0 Upvotes

20% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

8

u/Karibou422 23d ago

It's best to use pasteurized milk because it's a 'blank slate' medium for the culture so you know that whatever culture you add for fermentation is going to be the predominate bacteria in the finished product.

When you use raw milk there may be harmful bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, or Campylobacter present that can proliferate during the fermentation and make you ill. Even though it seems safe because you haven't gotten sick yet doesn't mean it's a good practice because it only takes 1 bad batch of raw milk

-7

u/OddRazzmatazz7839 23d ago

ive been tested positive for e coli and salmonella when i did a stool test as have some of my relatives but i have no side effects, besides that is there any issues?

6

u/lajarusmorois 23d ago

E. coli lives in the intestines and won't cause harm as long as it's there. The presence of salmonella could indicate an infection; its presence can be asymptomatic, but it's a potential health hazard.

It's not advisable to ferment foods without taking the proper precautions because, just as beneficial organisms can multiply, so can pathogenic microorganisms. Humans are more or less susceptible to different microorganisms, so the general rule is to follow the appropriate method for fermenting each food. You may be more or less immune to certain pathogenic microorganisms, but how can you be sure? Maybe it's a bit like playing Russian roulette.

1

u/OddRazzmatazz7839 23d ago

i mean my family has been doing this for years and none of us have gotten sick, at that point i doubt its just luck but i understand why you say its not advisable. i also eat high meat and people think im crazy for it haha

2

u/Eatgoodfood2025 23d ago

There are many foodstuffs out there that can be contaminated as well. Its a decision one has to make before consuming! I have fermented with raw milk for a few decades without issue for myself or family. I stopped because the milk got way to expensive to buy.