Anyway I can source B-LC-007 starter culture in the UK?

Post Reply
reddal
User
User
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 16:26
Location: an Island

Anyway I can source B-LC-007 starter culture in the UK?

Post by reddal » Mon Feb 20, 2017 18:46

Hi,

I'm trying to make Chorizo using this recipe - https://ourdailybrine.com/how-to-make-d ... astellano/ .

However I can't find anywhere I can buy the Bactoferm B-LC-007 starter culture in the UK or europe? I can see some US websites that have it - but they don't seem to ship internationally.

For my last batch I used Bessastart starter culture (http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/bessasta ... lture.html) but that has some issues and there was some debate about the correct fermentation temperature for that one.

Ideally I'd like to use the B-LC-007 as per the recipe - but where can I buy some that will ship to me (even if I have to pay a chunk for shipping)?

thanks for any advice - reddal
User avatar
Bob K
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2232
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 15:16
Location: Northwest Ct

Post by Bob K » Mon Feb 20, 2017 20:33

Welcome to the forum Reddal!

Most suppliers do not ship cultures internationally as they are a perishable product.

You should be able to use the Bressastart in place of B-LC-007 using the same sugar amounts and temps in the ODB recipe. The major difference in the two cultures is the addition of the bio-protective bacteria in 007 which also produce lactic acid. If you are able get T-SPX that would also give similar results.

Here is what your culture contains:

Usage: 30g for 50kg meat
Shelf life/storage: 6 months at 4-5°C, 2 years at -18°C
Ingredients: Sugar, Staph. Carnosus, Staph. Xylosus, P. Pentosaceus

Image

Link to info: http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopi ... tart#38626

Hopefully Redzed can add to this :grin:
User avatar
redzed
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3852
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 06:29
Location: Vancouver Island

Post by redzed » Tue Feb 21, 2017 07:01

Tough question, I can't get 007 in Canada either. Why not contact Sausagemaking.org and ask them to stock it. They already sell two Safepro products, so they should be able to bring in 007 as well. http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/Cultures.html

Let us know how you make out.
reddal
User
User
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 16:26
Location: an Island

Post by reddal » Fri Mar 17, 2017 22:14

Hi,

I managed to source some B-LC-007 starter culture from butcherspantry.com . I had to pay to get it shipped from the US - which meant it was out of cold temp storage longer than I would have liked, and was a bit expensive - but I finally got some. Email Evan Brady <evan@butcherspantry.com> if you want to do the same.

Separately Westcombe Dairy (sarah@westcombedairy.com) are going to start selling individual packets of the culture. In the past they could only do a whole box of 25 packets - which is a bit much for most people. They also sell Mold 600 and other cultures by the packet.

I've just made another batch of Chorizo using the new culture which is now in the curing chamber. Hopefully this one works out ok!

thanks for your help - reddal
User avatar
redzed
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3852
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 06:29
Location: Vancouver Island

Post by redzed » Thu Mar 23, 2017 07:56

Hi reddal, glad you got your culture! Hopefully some of the other UK sausageheads who read this forum will support Westcombe Dairy so that they can continually stock the culture. I noticed your statement in the first post about the incorrect info about fermentation temps. Unfortunately many of the spec sheets give us the"optimum" temperature for the bacteria to grow and multiply which usually is quite high and not necessarily the "optimum" temperature for fermenting a particular style of dry cured sausage. What temperature did you ferment at?
reddal
User
User
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 16:26
Location: an Island

Post by reddal » Fri Mar 24, 2017 13:43

redzed wrote:Unfortunately many of the spec sheets give us the"optimum" temperature for the bacteria to grow and multiply which usually is quite high and not necessarily the "optimum" temperature for fermenting a particular style of dry cured sausage. What temperature did you ferment at?
I fermented the Bressastart culture at 22c. In hindsight I doubt this was the issue with that batch - I didn't use a mold solution and I don't think I cleaned the chamber beforehand sufficiently - hence lots of (bad) molds.

Last week I started a new batch - using the B-LC-007 culture and the Mold 600 solution. These seem to be doing much better, after 1 week there is continuous cover of good looking white mold only :

Image

Thanks for your help.

- reddal
User avatar
redzed
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3852
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 06:29
Location: Vancouver Island

Post by redzed » Fri Mar 24, 2017 16:22

Well it does look like you have a nice colony of P. Nalgiovense. It really is the best option and a great investment in buying a package. Once you innoculate a couple of batches the mould will establish itself in your chamber and will also keep the unwanted moulds away. A package will stay in the freezer for 3 years, so if you amortize the expense it's well worth it.

I see that the you hygrometer is showing a RH of 99%, which is too high. And with that mould growth you will probably soon be smelling ammonia caused by proteolytic enzymes. A certain degree of ammonia smell is fine and considered "normal", but if excessive, may compromise the flavour of the salami. The best way to mitigate that is to lower the temperature in the chamber and after a couple of days the smell will go away.
reddal
User
User
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 16:26
Location: an Island

Post by reddal » Fri Mar 24, 2017 23:28

redzed wrote:I see that the you hygrometer is showing a RH of 99%, which is too high.
I think that hygrometer is broken - it always shows 99%. I've got a couple of other sensors in there I trust better :

1. The sensor in the humidity controller (ie the box that switches the humidifier / dehumidifier on when outside a range). This is set to 82.5% (1 week in chamber) and is always within a few percent of that.

2. A sensor attached to a environment monitor - a piece of kit left over from an old data center - which records temperature and humidity and broadcasts them over a computer network allowing me to have nice data logging. This one is showing about 5% lower than the controller humidity. Not sure if thats because of the the position of the sensor or just that its not designed for such high humidity. However this kit was once upon a time fairly expensive - whereas the other gear is all cheap.

I haven't noticed any ammonia smell yet - but I'll look out for that thanks.

- reddal
User avatar
Bob K
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2232
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 15:16
Location: Northwest Ct

Post by Bob K » Sun Mar 26, 2017 13:41

Just calibrate them! Very easy to do. I recheck every 6 months or so.

https://www.neptunecigar.com/tips/how-t ... hygrometer

The one that reads 99% - try removing from chamber and drying, it may have ( more than likely) gotten wet from condensation. Sometimes that works and sometimes they are damaged.
Post Reply