246 replies to this topic

[apokalypse]

I am following the method right now for popcorn, will report on it in a few days. Currently have 8cups of popcorn soaking in the water.

[Udunnome]

This is a wonderful experiment! The positive responce from fellow members in requards to your experimentation is beautiful. Good Karma! :eusa_clap

I too will give the antibacterial soap tek a go useing wbs. Azs g2g.

[apokalypse]

Hey guys, looking for some quick insight.

I am ready to steam my jars of popcorn however I don't really have a pot that will fit all of them. Can I just use my pressure cooker and keep the jiggler weight off, allowing steam to vent out of there? I think the whole reason this procedure was dreamed up was prepping without the need for PCing (using steaming instead). Does anyone object to this in the name of science? lol I guess I could use a really large pot, my only worry is that I'd have to leave the lid somewhat off.

[reverend trips]

I used a large stock pot with a lid as well as a PC with the lid put on and the rocker off.
Good luck!

[apokalypse]

Perfect trips :rasta:

I used my PC, steamed for about an hour and a half (little bit more) checking periodically on the water level. My lids were tyvek, sandwiching the jar lid on the top and bottom. I'm going to buy some quart jars later this week and polyfill, and a whole lot more popcorn if this turns out good!

[Udunnome]

why bother,
> fractional sterilization < makes grain without a pc an option
and no doubt
big pots are cheaper than microwaves...

I have conducted an experiment with Fractional Sterilization or Tyndallization of wbs, The grains were not innoculated. The quart jars of wbs were left alone well over two months with no signs of grown of any kind. No contaminates!
I have been flamed at other forums for even sujesting fractional sterilization as an option.

Thank you Hippie3 for posting it.:bow:

[Hippie3]

no doubt that it works,
a bit time-consuming is only drawback.

[MrMerlin]

So its been over two weeks now and my popcorn jars haven't shown any sign of growth. Thinking that it may have something to do with the (too high?) soap content shielding the grains from the spores, making germination troublesome. Looks to me like a write off this time, although I might just keep them going a bit longer.... At least they smell good :eusa_shif

[Hippie3]

did you make any control bags without soap
to compare so you know the inoculant was good ?

[reverend trips]

That sucks MrMerlin, I had growth on my popcorn in no time at all and it was covered in the suds. I do think the soap slows the growth a bit, but 2 weeks ain't a good sign at all.

[MrMerlin]

did you make any control bags without soap
to compare so you know the inoculant was good ?

No, and that was a silly mistake, although I did noc up a couple of LC jars with the same medium. Which leads me to a relevant OT, these jars are also showing little growth- tired spores? I'm new to grains and LC, so maybe I just need to backtrack and polish up my act...

[Hippie3]

I did noc up a couple of LC jars with the same medium...., these jars are also showing little growth

well then, that seems relevant eh.
maybe it ain't the soap after all...

[MrMerlin]

Thanks for the blunt force trauma wakeup there Hips... Reckon it would be feeble to add some LC to the popcorn jars?

[Hippie3]

you can re-inoculate if that won't result is too much water in there...

[MrMerlin]

Ooh dear, seems I made a mistake translating the chems in my soap. The active ingredient is natrium salicylicum, any chemistry students here care to identify its properties?

[Lazlo]

Maybe someone should try Dawn with the bleach alternative? The bleach alternative are enzymes.

[Hippie3]

Ooh dear, seems I made a mistake translating the chems in my soap. The active ingredient is natrium salicylicum, any chemistry students here care to identify its properties?

got an ear infection ?

[MrMerlin]

So it might just be friendly to fungi after all, got a few BRF cups going... Spores seem to be germinating slower than usual, but the hope is there

[apokalypse]

An update on my 7 pint jars...

I used the same soap Rev bought, and my old popcorn that was flakey. Soaked it for a day and steamed for whatever the time length was supposed to be, I want to say an hour. Two tyvek discs sandwiched the lid.

All are showing signs of growth (15-20% colonized) after two weeks. I only noticed myc 3 days ago, and last time I grew with this popcorn it took a week-week and a half to start growing. I used 1cc of spores per jar and didn't shake after innoc, so I think that added to the troubles.

My grains came out dry, not any extra moisture in the jar at all. Rev, yours were soapy? Did you add extra water to the jars before steaming?

[reverend trips]

My grains came out dry, not any extra moisture in the jar at all. Rev, yours were soapy? Did you add extra water to the jars before steaming?

They were loaded into the jars soapy and wet, but drained well, and after steaming the extra sudsy water was mostly forced into the corn. Very little water in the bottom of the jar.

I'm glad it is working for ya Apok. Too bad it took so long though.

Btw, did you simmer the popcorn after the soak to soften up the kernels a bit?