# white mold on your jerky?



## guvna

yea, i found some of that today. what a pisser. anyway, does anyone know an easy way to prevent this? i guess i could store it in the refrigerator.
thanks,
guvna


----------



## fatback joe

http://www.askthemeatman.com/answers...20question.htm

*Why Does Jerky Mold?*

There are a couple of possibilities.

Also, not all jerky will mold, it depends on a few things.

The number 1 reason jerky will mold is that not enough moisture has been removed from the meat during the drying process.

Jerky should have around 90 to 95% of the moisture in the meat removed during drying.

If it doesn't, the moisture still in the meat leads to the possibility of mold spores growing. If the jerky is dried almost completely, mold usually won't grow.

If you like your jerky a little moist, you could try to vacuum pack your jerky. Mold will not grow without air ( or oxygen ).

There are some decent home vacuum packers on the market now, and these might be of use.

Also, mold seems to grow or develop quicker in a moist atmosphere. So, the refrigerator is not a good place to store jerky, unless it is vacuum packed. But since jerky is dried meat, it is not necessary to store it refrigerated anyway.


----------



## tasunkawitko

fatback gives good advice - the only other thing i could add is the possibility of storing it in the freezer if you need to store it.

what we do here is simply put it up someplace with a loose cover or in a jar with holes in the lid on a shelf. - never had any mold problems. 

jerky needs to breathe and any trapped moisture could potentially become mold, especially if it isn't completely dried out.


----------



## placebo

Great info there Joe! I vacuum pack mine and store it in the fridge and have never had a mold problem. I do notice that any fat/grease content that is on the outside of the meat will congeal after being in the fridge and at least with my poor vision it does look a little like white mold, but its not.


----------



## shorts

I made the mistake once of packaging the jerky in baggies while it was still just a little warm...went back and looked and moisture beeds were in there and yup the whole batch molded!!!  Now I always make sure it is completely dried and cooled before I package it...


----------



## vlap

Is it mold for sure? I thought I remember hearing about a fat bloom. Although common in chocolate work it can happen on jerky. (I think
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






)


----------



## fatback joe

Yep, white stuff on jerky isn't necessarily mold.


----------



## fireguy

I dont like my jerky so dry. I store in feezer till ready to eat.


----------



## chef_boy812

Hey is it fuzzy?

If is is stark white dots that are irregular, I would agree with the fat bloom, or salt surfacing.

At our house, we kept it in a paper bag instead of plastic. not that it ever was around long enough for anything to happen o it.

yum


----------



## jlhog

I have thrown a piece of paper towel in the ziplock bag with my jerky to collect moisture. Seems to work OK.


----------



## guvna

thanks all,
yes it was definitely mold. there was two dime size spores on two pieces. i cut out the contamination and i'm keeping the rest. it's still very moist, no doubt leading to the mold. i think the paper bag idea sounds good. i'll try that.
thanks,
guv


----------



## goat

Wipe it off with a towel moistened with vinegar and forget about it.


----------

