13b. SCOBY Microscopy

[Guest guest]

mark, you can see what the SCOBY looks under a microscope at

http://www.happyherbalist.com/analysis_of_kombucha.htm

Those pictures were taken by a guy in Canada who very kindly

snapped the pictures of a ferment I sent him. Most of the

SCOBY is made by the bacteria and the cellulose is the very

fine lines, microbes sticking out.

The most common pests are vinegar flies, small and dark.

Vinegar eels or worms are not uncommon but rare. Anguillula

aceti (Turbatrix aceti)

The tiny vinegar worms or " eels " sometimes found are not in

any way detrimental, But there are parasites that feed on

the SCOBY (or the squidlies) that eventually destroy the

SCOBY <http://www.factopia.com/food-guide/vinegar_food.htm>

Pasteur showed that the " little eels " first seen in vinegar

by Leeuwenhoek, a genius of threadworm called Anguillula,

were detrimental to the vinegar fermentation process because

they interfered with Mycoderma aceti, the vinegar-forming

organism. He then worked out a practical, standardized

process for accurately controlled vinegar-making. In 1863

Na­poleon III personally commanded the chemist to

investigate a disas­ter in the wine industry that threatened

to upset the whole French economy.

Pasteur found that he could tell by microscopic examination

whether the wine had spoiled even without tasting it. The

trick was again the identification of disease-producing

organisms. And the so­lution to the problem was elegantly

simple: Heat the fully fermented wine gently to kill off the

bacteria. Thus was pasteurization born, in wine, not milk.

May also be larvae hatchlings of eggs laid by tinny vinegar

flies (fruit fly). The larvae are indeed quite small ( tiny

maggots in appearance -these larvae are commercially raised

for tropical fish food! and a cheese is made, where

similar larvae are encouraged to flourish within the cheese

itself. These are eaten and enjoyed along with the cheese.

(and your friends thought your ferment looked gross!!)

One person called me asking for some help and I suggested

soaking the mushroom in a solution of alcohol (gin or vodka)

at 10-15% by volume alcohol. I don't know how alcohol would

affect the eels hoping it would kill them. The mushroom 

should be good up to 18% by volume alcohol. He reported that

at about 15% larger worms began to exude a milky opaque

material that trails behind as if a sticky constituency. The

larger worms stopped moving entirely either because they

expired, or were tired of fighting the sludge. The smaller

worms seem to be unaffected even after 2 hours. SO maybe a

higher percentage alcohol would be advised.

I also recommended Pasteurization, as noted above (keep the

heat low 90F for 20 minutes or so. Strain through triple

cheesecloth before and after) which seemed to work.

Personally I have never seen these (I have seen vinegar

flies) the one person was going to send a jpg but never did.

So if you can snap a picture I would love to see it.

Enjoy Your Health,

Ed Kasper L.Ac.

California Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist

www.HappyHerbalist.com eddy@...

.....................original message

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13b. SCOBY Microscopy

Posted by: " mark robert " colowe@... imesefel

Date: Wed Aug 9, 2006 4:36 pm (PDT)

Newbie here. Hi all.

What is a SCOBY supposed to look like under a microscope?

Should

there be any vinegar eels (Anguillula aceti) or other minute

nematode worms visible? I'm not sure how to size microbes,

but

these " worms " are very tiny under powerful magnification.

-Mark

[Guest guest]

> and a cheese is made, where

>similar larvae are encouraged to flourish within the cheese

>itself. These are eaten and enjoyed along with the cheese.

>(and your friends thought your ferment looked gross!!)

Ah. There's the solution to the fruit fly problem with KT-- just start up

one of these cheeses nearby.

--V

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

--A.J. Muste