Red mold in yogurt

The recipe I have for Moroccan-style carrot and lentil soup recommends a big dollop of Greek yogurt and a pinch of nigella seeds as garnishes. Both excellent suggestions, especially the yogurt.

So I bought a container of plain, whole milk Greek yogurt and enjoyed a couple of tablespoons in the soup. A couple of days later, when I again had the soup, I noticed a bit of red stain on the yogurt. I carefully scraped out and discarded that part of the yogurt, but the red stain was back again a couple of days later.

Googling around, I discovered that this is a common problem known as "red mold" even though it's actually a bacterial infestation. Apparently it's harmful and can make you quite ill. The remainder of that container of yogurt is now history.

This is my first encounter with red mold Have any of you had experience with it? Are there preventive measures, other than woofing down the yogurt before it has a chance to develop?

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Not I, but we don't eat yoghurt. I only buy it for curries on very rare occasions and anything not needed in the dish would get tossed.

Have any of you had experience with it? Are there preventive measures, other than woofing down the yogurt before it has a chance to develop?

I've had a similar experience with homemade crème fraîche (organic buttermilk & whipping cream).. I just scraped of the mold and a few more millimetres and used the remainder immediately. Perhaps I should reconsider

I have never seen red mold. Green, yes. Blue. Purple. Brown. Grey. Ochre. But not red.

I've seen a red mold, if I remember correctly, in yogurt--maybe sour cream. But it's usually blue-green.

Thanks, Larry. That's what I did the first time I encountered it--I scooped out about 1/4-inch deep of yogurt around the stain. When the red stain reappeared a couple of days later I decided I'd better find out just what I'm dealing with.

Jeff--so-called "red mold" in yogurt is not really mold. It's a bacteria colony. The bacteria are slightly red in color and when you get enough of them in one place you get the visible red stain. And apparently they can cause a form of food poisoning. Rather surprising to find this sort of thing in yogurt. Most yogurt has active, beneficial bacteria that usually prevent spoilage bacteria from taking hold.

-Paul W.

[Robin Garr]

If I'm not mistaken, e. coli leaves a pink stain. Not sure if it's the same thing, but I'd be wary.

Big fans of Brown Cow organic yogurt over here. Really delicious stuff, non-GMO and organic and so much better to cut up fresh seasonal fruit into a cup of it for breakfast than to eat the sugary fruit-on-the-bottom commercial brands. The plain is best, IMO, but they also make maple and vanilla flavors. I have never, ever seen mold or any other kind of stain in a tub, even though it takes five or six days to go through.

Paul, they're sort of neighbors of yours, at Londonderry, New Hamster, er, Hampshire.

https://www.browncowfarm.com/

Pumpkin also eats only organic, 0% fat yogurt. Stonyfield brand preferred.

I'll eat anything that doesn't eat me first. (<= that's a Dad joke)

[Robin Garr]

Pumpkin also eats only organic, 0% fat yogurt. Stonyfield brand preferred.

I'll eat anything that doesn't eat me first. (<= that's a Dad joke)

Jeff, I think Stonyfield may have taken over ownership of Brown Cow. I go for full-bore fat, though. Fat in reasonable proportions doesn't seem to affect my weight the way carbs do. Not that I'm giving up bread or pasta ...

The following may be of interest


The term "pink mold" covers several types of microscopic organisms you might find growing in the
damp, dark corners of your home, such as cupboards or drawers. The common name is "pink mold", but it might surprise you to know that it is actually bacteria. One of the most common is "Serratia marcescens", but "Aureobasidium pullulans" and "Fusarium" are also able to form a visible pink or orange film.

These three bacterial species grow mostly in bathrooms, laundry rooms, or kitchen cabinets and drawers, where they can feed on fat and other nutrients. They can also grow on food when the food containers are contaminated. Like most environmental bacteria, pink mold prefers a humid environment, food, temperature between 25 to 45 degrees Celsius and time to grow to visible size. The empty containers kept in a contaminated place will not form pink mold to a visible size, but under the right conditions, it can spread fast enough and can grow large enough to be seen by the naked eye and consequently contaminate the food stored there.

Did you notice that pink mold-forming bacteria and the good probiotic yogurt and kefir bacteria can grow under the same conditions and in the same medium when contaminated?
So how can you ensure that you don’t use contaminated containers and utensils when making yogurt and kefir at home. The answer is simple: simply boil the milk and cool it down, then (considering safety first) very carefully and slowly pour boiling water in and over containers and utensils right before use. Give them some time to cool down and add your yogurt or kefir mix, then incubate for the required time.

While no type of pink mold poses an immediate, serious threat to your health the way black mold does, pink mold can still harm you if it is spread everywhere throughout your house or if you have a compromised immune system.
Removing the mold in the house can be difficult and require a lot of bleach, sanitisers, or cleaning chemicals, but you simply cannot and never should try to use any of those when preparing food or with food processing containers and utensils. Especially when making your yoghurt and kefir, as they can easily kill the yogurt and kefir bacteria and poison you.

Thanks for sharing that, Barb. I try to choose yogurt that has active culture and no additives. I use whole milk yogurt, which always has a layer of creme fraiche on top, and that probably promotes any red mold issues. It's probably safe to excise a portion of the yogurt around the red stain and use the rest. And a good idea to always use a very clean spoon to scoop the yogurt out.

Stonyfield is my go-to brand for yogurt. I like Brown Cow, too, but that brand is a tad harder to find. Stonyfield owns Brown Cow these days.

-Paul W.

Another reason to heat milk before making is to denature whey proteins and make a yogurt that sets to a thicker consistency. I don't boil my milk, but I raise it to 180F and let it cool before I add my culture and set the containers in my yogurt maker. Been doing it this way for fifty years.

For a detailed description, here's what Harold McGee says: https://brodandtaylor.com/blogs/recipes ... eat-yogurt