I see some mould? It is OK?
If you can’t stand the sight of mould, you’re going to either need to get over it or give up on dry curing. Moulds, both beneficial and non-beneficial, are a major part of dry curing. The temperature and humidity of a curing chamber or where the salami are hanging are all conducive to mould growth.
In short, moulds are fungi. When it comes to making charcuterie, salami, and cured meats there are good moulds (white) , and bad moulds (green, black, yellow, red, fuzzy). The good moulds are typically Penicillium moulds and they are all good and part of the curing process and contribute to the flavour profile.
White Mould (Good friendly mould)
They do a number of jobs from preventing bad mould growing by taking up space where bad mould could grow. They consume oxygen round the meat reducing oxidation. They protect the fat and meat from light (which can turn the meat fat rancid). These good penicillium based moulds are also present and used in cheese making adding with the flavour profile ; just think of the -.white mould rind on brie and camembert. The green-blue mould you see in cheese making (e.g. Stilton) is also a good penicillium mould typically aded or injected int he process. These cheese moulds , such as Penicillium Roqueforti and Penicillium Glaucum do not cause the aflatoxins and mycotoxins that make certain types of environmental mould so dangerous to humans.
Bad Moulds
Bad moulds produce mycotoxins and alfatoxins that can cause illness (and in extreme cases even death).
If you see some 'bad' mould (green, black, red, fuzzy/furry) , then have no fear. All is not necessarily lost!
At the start of any curing and hanging process you should be checking your meat daily. This is when it is most vulnerable to the mould penetrating the meat due to the water content in the meat. As the meat is drying naturally, and the salt and acid (from the wine) is present making the the interior inhospitable for mad bacteria and fungi (moulds).
Green Mould
If you catch it early and it is NOT smothering or encasing your meat then you can rinse it off with vinegar and rehang your meat. This usually takes care of the problem.
In short, if there is a a small bit of green mould then cleaning it off with vinegar will sort it 99% of the time.
If the area is larger then second option can be to cut out the mould, rinse area with vinegar and rehang. Since these mould are a fungi they can actually spread internally of the meat is soft or still has a water content, so you need to cut below and around the area with green mould.
If it is black mould, or red, or slimy or furry and fuzzy - sorry - you are best chucking the meat out - typically there will be something nearby causing this and your area has a high moisture content.
If this is in your meat chamber then you need to wash-down and bleach the inside of your chamber or drying areas to prevent it recurring.
In short, moulds are fungi. When it comes to making charcuterie, salami, and cured meats there are good moulds (white) , and bad moulds (green, black, yellow, red, fuzzy). The good moulds are typically Penicillium moulds and they are all good and part of the curing process and contribute to the flavour profile.
White Mould (Good friendly mould)
They do a number of jobs from preventing bad mould growing by taking up space where bad mould could grow. They consume oxygen round the meat reducing oxidation. They protect the fat and meat from light (which can turn the meat fat rancid). These good penicillium based moulds are also present and used in cheese making adding with the flavour profile ; just think of the -.white mould rind on brie and camembert. The green-blue mould you see in cheese making (e.g. Stilton) is also a good penicillium mould typically aded or injected int he process. These cheese moulds , such as Penicillium Roqueforti and Penicillium Glaucum do not cause the aflatoxins and mycotoxins that make certain types of environmental mould so dangerous to humans.
Bad Moulds
Bad moulds produce mycotoxins and alfatoxins that can cause illness (and in extreme cases even death).
If you see some 'bad' mould (green, black, red, fuzzy/furry) , then have no fear. All is not necessarily lost!
At the start of any curing and hanging process you should be checking your meat daily. This is when it is most vulnerable to the mould penetrating the meat due to the water content in the meat. As the meat is drying naturally, and the salt and acid (from the wine) is present making the the interior inhospitable for mad bacteria and fungi (moulds).
Green Mould
If you catch it early and it is NOT smothering or encasing your meat then you can rinse it off with vinegar and rehang your meat. This usually takes care of the problem.
In short, if there is a a small bit of green mould then cleaning it off with vinegar will sort it 99% of the time.
If the area is larger then second option can be to cut out the mould, rinse area with vinegar and rehang. Since these mould are a fungi they can actually spread internally of the meat is soft or still has a water content, so you need to cut below and around the area with green mould.
If it is black mould, or red, or slimy or furry and fuzzy - sorry - you are best chucking the meat out - typically there will be something nearby causing this and your area has a high moisture content.
If this is in your meat chamber then you need to wash-down and bleach the inside of your chamber or drying areas to prevent it recurring.