RE: Re: Who ever heard of acetone risk from KT stored in the refrig?

[Guest guest]

Marge,

I have always heard that the Acetone smell was associated with some

variations of mold that can grow in brewing kombucha. I don't think the

mold would survive in already brewed kombucha. The Acetone smell is one

indication that the brew has gone bad. I've never had it happen to any of

my brewing batches. I've been brewing for almost five years.

[Guest guest]

I have actually had this problem...I had been storing the babies and mother

(in Kombucha) in the fridge, capped, and was uncapping every 3 days as the

book advised. I forgot and let it go for 6-7 days once and smelled a

moderate but distinctive nail-polish-remover smell. (I tossed all the

Kombucha but rinsed and kept the mother, who has produced nicely since

then.)

I am new at this so I am a bit confused by the clarity of the book on this

risk (and my own personal experience with it) vs. the lack of problems you

all have had. Here is another paragraph from Alana Pascal's book, Kombucha:

How To and What It Is All About, " Lack of oxygen will provide an environment

for the anaerobic production of acetone. This toxic compound is grouped

among molecules referred to as ketone bodies and will harm the kidneys.

Acetone has an acrid sweet smell, the kind that wafts from nail salons and

out of nail polish remover bottles. The appearance of ketones had been

encountered in commercially bottled Kombucha. Once the beverage has been

bottled and capped, care must be taken to keep the beverage refrigerated at

all times even during transportation, in order to avoid the production of

Ketones. Also, an expiration date of 3 to 4 days is advisable. After the

bottle is purchased, store the beverage uncapped. The anaerobic fermentation

process produces dihydoxy acetone phosphate. The capping of the product

shuts off the oxygen and acetone is trapped. If your beverage smells at all

acrid or " chemical, " DO NOT DRINK IT!!! "

Re: Who ever heard of acetone risk from KT stored in the

refrig?

> Dear Sharflin.

>

> I have been brewing Kombucha Tea since the Blizzard of 96, and I always

> store my KT in the refrigerator and nearly always for more than three

> days.

>

> I have never smelled any acetone. i keep most of mine in Welch's gallon

> grape juice jugs. I do not fill them to the top. I do a NO-NO. I put a

> double layer of thick plastic under the lids, and it keeps the fizz and

> doesn't keep on turning to vinegar.

>

> Our KT guru, Bob , thought that KT vapors would come up and hit

> the plastic and drop back into the tea. That minute amount could hardly

> leach much out of a tiny piece of plastic. Could it? It's the same kind

> of plastic that people ship KT in.

>

> Does anyone else ever get an acetone smell? How oould that be a

> byproduct of Kombucha?

>

> Blessings on you all. LOve. MArge.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

This has come up before but I can't remember the explanation. There are

science-types on this list who keep their bottles capped for 3+ weeks in

the fridge as part of their brewing/bottling process to get the best KT

they can.

Mothers and babies are best stored at room temperature, floating in KT, and

can last for months and years in that state.

As far as I know, the acetone fear thing is just another way to make people

afraid of KT. KT is sold in bottles at health-food stores and it's much

older than 3 days and there is never such a smell that I've found.

Perhaps Len will enlighten us what this fear is about.

I do know that it's not true that you have to uncap every 3 days. If that

were true, most people on this list would be dead instead of in better

health than ever.

--V

~~~ There is no way to peace; peace is the way ~~~~

--A.J. Muste