LAB Culture (Lactic Acid Bacteria)

[J.James]

LAB Culture (Lactic Acid Bacteria)
What Are Lactic Acid Bacteria? “Lactic acid bacteria” (LAB) refers to a large group of bacteria, rather than a single species or strain, that produce lactic acid as a by-product of digesting their food source (usually carbohydrates). The lactic acid accumulates to ferment or “pickle” the food, and LAB are capable of surviving in acidic (low-pH) environments. LAB are widespread in nature and are beneficial probiotics in our digestive systems. They are among the most important groups of microorganisms used in food fermentation, contributing to the taste and texture of fermented products and inhibiting food spoilage caused by other microorganisms. LAB are responsible for the production of yogurt, cheese, cultured butter, sour cream, sausage, kimchee, olives, and sauerkraut (Nordqvist 2004).

Be sure to wash, rinse, and dry all your equipment. Try to keep the process free of foreign debris and contaminants.

Step One
Wash rice grains and collect the cloudy water. I do this by placing 2 cups of rice into a mason jar with 2 cups of RO water and shaking it for 5 minutes. I will be making a double batch but will keep each jar separate until the last stage today.


Step Two
Strain the Fill a clean glass jar about 2/3 full with rice rinse water.



This is where I will combine my two batches
I am over 2/3 full but just be sure to leave at least an inch of room between the liquid and the top of the jar. You will get some water evaporation over the next 3+ days

Step Three
Cap it with a cheesecloth or breathable cloth. Butcher's paper or a paper towel will also work. I use the screw lid but you can also use a rubber band to secure the top. Our main goal is to keep large pests out like flies and ants. The microbes we are looking to culture are in the air and will find their way into the jar. Store at room temperature away from direct light. I tuck the jar away in the back of a kitchen cabinet and we will wait for 3 - 5 days for the liquid to separate. You may see some mold form on the top of the water, This is normal. Do not shake or move the jar during this stage.

 

[J.James]

4 days later


Step Four
LAB will multiply and give off a slightly sour odor. There will be a mat of semi-solid material floating on the top of the cloudy liquid in the jar.
Collect only the cloudy liquid (fermented rinse water) by pouring off and discarding the mat layer.



Step Five
Measure one part of fermented rinse-water and add 10 parts of milk to fill your container 2 /3 full.



Step Six
As in step 3, cover the mouth of the jar with cloth or paper and secure it with rubber bands or ties to keep out pests. Store at room temperature away from direct light. Be careful not to shake or move the jar while it ferments.



This next processes will take 3 to 5 days depending on the temperature.

 

[J.James]

4 days later

 

[J.James]

The contents will be separated into a floating solid fraction and a yellow liquid fraction underneath. It can take longer in cooler climates. The yellow liquid is the LAB culture, which must be kept alive.

This is the LAB culture under the floating mass of cheese curds


Pour off the liquid fraction, being careful not to mix any solids back into the LAB culture. I use a strainer and a few layers of unbleached cheesecloth.



I will strain the liquid a second time with a clean piece of cheesecloth to ensure I got out all the fine particles. As you can see there was a lot that somehow made it into the first batch.



Any LAB culture not used within a week should be refrigerated, or if it must be kept at room temperature, add an equal amount (by weight) of brown natural sugar. In either case, keep the bottle loosely capped to release gases formed by fermentation, or the container may burst.

LAB culture may be kept refrigerated for 6 months. Continue to keep the bottle loosely capped to release gases. LAB culture should have a sweet odor; if the odor becomes unpleasant (rotten) after it has been stored, discard it and make a new batch.

 

[J.James]

How Is LAB Culture Used for Plant Production?
LAB culture is diluted at a 1:1,000 ratio with water, mixed with a plant nutrient solution such as fermented plant juice (FPJ), and applied as a foliar spray to leaf surfaces of leaf or fruit crops.

Preparation of 1:1,000 LAB Solutions
​

Note: Over-application of LAB culture to fruit crops may result in the loss of sweetness (lowered brix) of fruits. Apply sparingly in the latter stages of the fruiting season. LAB culture can also be used in conjunction with other nutrient solutions to treat seeds before planting. This improves seed germination, inoculates the seed with beneficial microbes, and deters fungal problems, such as “damping off” (Hamed et al. 2011). LAB is used with IMO (indigenous microorganisms) in Natural Farming in making composts or compost teas for soil preparation prior to planting (Park and DuPonte 2008). Application of LAB culture can accelerate the decomposition of organic amendments in soils and enhance the release of plant nutrients for absorption (Higa and Kinjo 1989).

 

[Cornfed Dread Creations]

Nice man. Love making me some LABS .just finished some and have alot of banana ferment as well as dandelion clover and Dead Nettle.

 

[Zaphod420]

I make my own Greek yogurt pretty much every week cuz I like to do a 36 hr culture to make it super tangy and to let the lab eat all the lactose possible to make it as low carb as possible. Also 6$ a quart at the supermarket can go eat a bag of dicks when I can make 2 -3 quarts for 3$ at home. Never thought to make a foliar spray out of it but I have been dumping mine in my compost piles to lower ph and grow micro. I think Dr Zymes run lab in their spray cuz it sure smells alot like fermenting beer when you spray it. Great post J.James and thanks for the info nuggets!

 

[Cornfed Dread Creations]

I make my own Greek yogurt pretty much every week cuz I like to do a 36 hr culture to make it super tangy and to let the lab eat all the lactose possible to make it as low carb as possible. Also 6$ a quart at the supermarket can go eat a bag of dicks when I can make 2 -3 quarts for 3$ at home. Never thought to make a foliar spray out of it but I have been dumping mine in my compost piles to lower ph and grow micro. I think Dr Zymes run lab in their spray cuz it sure smells alot like fermenting beer when you spray it. Great post J.James and thanks for the info nuggets!
View attachment 91439

I use it as IPM mixed with OHN for the foliar spray. And no doubt about the yogurt man

 

[Zaphod420]

I use it as IPM mixed with OHN for the foliar spray. And no doubt about the yogurt man

Right on Cornfed Dread Creations and can I ask what ratio you mix your lab and OHN at cuz I think this might be exactly what Dr Zymes pretty much is and I would love to be able to just make that shit myself lol.

 

[Cornfed Dread Creations]

4ml per gal of each seems be fine for me

 

[Norbetthifs]

Given the results of that article, is it fair to say that HR within - a few beats is a reasonable substitute for lactic acid levels for SS work? That is if you measured your HR while doing your lactates.

 

[H.A.F.]

@J.James - I just had to make a new batch and was wondering about adding the sugar. I had a mix of molasses and cane sugar to make the weight of the LAB culture. Last time I used molasses only so it was not an issue -

Do I mix this stuff until the sugar is disolved? I stirred it in gently but figured I'd ask.

 

[J.James]

I think you mix it 10 to 1 (sugar to molasses). It should resemble brown sugar in color and wetness

 

[H.A.F.]

I think you mix it 10 to 1 (sugar to molasses). It should resemble brown sugar in color and wetness

I mean once the LAB is done and you add the same amount of sugar as finished LAB to make it shelf stable. Just didn't know if it needed to be disolved or let the bacteria get it when they want it.

 

[J.James]

you mix it together until the liquid can't hold any more sugar. The idea is to bind up all the water so the microbes go dormant. you use raw sugar or brown sugar so it has micronutrient content

 

[H.A.F.]

you mix it together until the liquid can't hold any more sugar. The idea is to bind up all the water so the microbes go dormant. you use raw sugar or brown sugar so it has micronutrient content

Thanks! Just to put obvious (to me) stuff out there and get it debunked if necessary - any residual sugar or molasses in the jar should stay undisturbed after that initial mix, and you should take out the culture you want to use without disturbing it?

 

[J.James]

LAB and FPJ both become active if you shake them up or stir them so, I don't. I find that over time that will naturally disappear and also that it will gas off so keep that lid slightly open or over time it will build pressure and explode.

This jar is from the batch i did over a year ago


It had 1/4 inch of sugar on the bottom that is now gone

 

[H.A.F.]

LAB and FPJ both become active if you shake them up or stir them so, I don't. I find that over time that will naturally disappear and also that it will gas off so keep that lid slightly open or over time it will build pressure and explode.

I have the twin bubble fermenter caps on a lot of stuff. Do you need that on Fermented Fruit Juice once it's been strained?

 

[J.James]

@H.A.F.
I use breathable caps and loose lids on all of it with the exception of the OHN