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Mold on kombu?

Hassouni

By Hassouni
in Kitchen Consumer

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Hassouni

Hassouni

Posted
Posted

So I opened up a packet of kombu today, and I saw whitish blobs that look sort of like mold, but I'm not sure. They are separate from the white powder that I take is concentrated glutamates. Is this normal? I've never noticed it before.

Alchemist/mixologist/proprietor at the Green Zone, serving craft cocktails with the flavors of the Middle East

 

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Jenni

Jenni

Posted
Posted

Can you post a pic? As you clearly know, kombu can get sort of a whiteish build up that is completely normal, but it's hard to say without seeing and it sounds like you are pretty sure it is something else. How old is the packet? I have had packets of kombu in the cupboard, open, for over 2 years and never had any mould grow on it. By the way, it sat in the cupboard because I forgot I had it and it got lost under clutter, it's not something I would intentionally do!

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Jenni

Jenni

Posted
Posted (edited)

Don't you love how I confidently told you to post a pic and now that you've done so my response is....er...I don't know! I suppose it does look a little strange but then kombu already looks a bit weird so honestly I think if I had kombu like this I might perhaps just break off anything that looked really suspect and then use the rest anyway... :unsure:

Edited by Jenni (log)

My Blog: Rice, Spice and Everything Nice

budrichard

budrichard

Posted
Posted

Not normal in my book. What was the source of the Kombu? I try to purchase only Japanese product or in a pinch South Korean from retailers that have a fast turnover of product.

Small stores many times have product that has sat for ages.-Dick

_john

_john

Posted
Posted

probably just some disease on the konbu when it was growing. nothing to worry about. High grade konbu will have no marks or blemishes on it and be a uniform width. I personally buy the type that has holes in it due to being bitten by sea urchins. I like thinking that the sea urchins know which konbu is best :smile:

  • 13 years later...
Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

I'll try bumping this old thread and see if there's any action.

 

I bought some kombu yesterday and when the package was opened I saw this:

 

KombuwithMold.jpg.1498b21a954a84c8aea40e27740616e7.jpg

 

This looks like an unhealthy mold. I've never seen anything like it on past kombu purchases. What do the kombu mavens think?

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 ... Shel


 

Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

The highlighted, round blotchy area is my main concern.  That doesn't look like mannitol to me, but I've only bought and used kombu about half a dozen times and my experience is limited. Have you seen that sort of thing before? You don't think it's mold or something perhaps unhealthy?

KombuwithMoldhighlight.jpg.cd87694ba1a6b456ff1b017692b8a695.jpg

 ... Shel


 

Duvel

Duvel

Posted
Posted

If you want certainty, leave it out for a day or two. If your “mold” grows, throw it out. If it stays the same or slowly dissolves from the humidity I might be right 😉

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Tropicalsenior

Tropicalsenior

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Shel_B said:

bought some kombu yesterday and when the package was opened I saw this:

I wouldn't even have questioned it. I would immediately take it back to the store for refund or replacement.

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Yvonne Shannon

San Joaquin, Costa Rica

A member since 2017 and still loving it!

Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I wouldn't even have questioned it. I would immediately take it back to the store for refund or replacement.

We're closer on that point than you might think.

 ... Shel


 

blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, Shel_B said:

 

KombuwithMold.jpg.1498b21a954a84c8aea40e27740616e7.jpg

 

This looks like an unhealthy mold. 

If you just bought it yesterday and the appearance disturbs you, take it back to the store, ask for a replacement and inspect it carefully before leaving.
I have a few similar white spots on the kombu in my pantry but they don’t disturb me so after making that observation, I put it back to be used next time I need it.  

I am a bit curious what you mean by “an unhealthy mold”? Is this mold that appears unwell? Or do you believe it will make you unwell?  And if so, how do you make that identification based on appearance alone?

  • Like 2
Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

If you just bought it yesterday and the appearance disturbs you, take it back to the store
[...]
I am a bit curious what you mean by “an unhealthy mold”? Is this mold that appears unwell? Or do you believe it will make you unwell?  And if so, how do you make that identification based on appearance alone?

I'm going to return it. 

 

Unhealthy to me. Like I said, I'm far from an expert on kombu and  even further from being a mycologist.  I've never seen that type of growth on kombu, so naturally I'm curious. I've seen similar looking mold on food, and experts made it clear that it was unhealthy (to humans). 

 

I read that if kombu shows signs of bad mold, such as a fuzzy, dry texture, it should be discarded.

I have no conclusion; my caution prevails. Until such time as I know this is safe, I'll pass on ingesting it. I choose not to underwrite the experiment in any way.

  • Like 1

 ... Shel


 

Duvel

Duvel

Posted
Posted

Out of curiosity - what sort of answer would you have accepted that would have changed your mind on your “unhealthy mold” ?

 

A (factual) description of what is the white deposit ? 
 

A “list of credentials” of someone who replies, e.g. PhD in biochemistry w/ a minor in toxicology, have used more kombu than others will ever buy in their whole life, years living in Japan, …

 

Or just a confirmation of what you would have done anyway ?

  • Like 2
KennethT

KennethT

Posted
Posted

@Duvel I have very little biology knowledge (aka squishy stuff) so I was wondering - is it even possible for mold to grow on a piece of dried kombu?  I always thought that mold needed a certain amount of water to grow, but the dried kombu I have is like thin slices of wood and really brittle which makes me think that the water activity is very low. 

Duvel

Duvel

Posted
Posted (edited)
32 minutes ago, KennethT said:

@Duvel I have very little biology knowledge (aka squishy stuff) so I was wondering - is it even possible for mold to grow on a piece of dried kombu?  I always thought that mold needed a certain amount of water to grow, but the dried kombu I have is like thin slices of wood and really brittle which makes me think that the water activity is very low. 


Unlikely. Lack of moisture and salt content (especially on the surface) will not allow mold to grow. If moisture would be present, I would expect the natural sugars in the seeweed to allow fungal growth. Commercial packs of kombu will carry usually a desiccant to reduce moisture within the packaging even further, but I bought two packs of kombu last year during our Japan trip and none had desiccant of vacuum packaging. And none had mold. They had マンニット, though 😎

 


 

Edited by Duvel (log)
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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

@Duvel

 

as I recall , I think the OP talked some sort of talk

 

did no walk , then moved on to the more complex issues of A Medium Onion ?

 

if the pics were really  real  startling , as pointed out above

 

the package would have been returned by now ?

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