August 19, 2015 - 5:01pm
Mold or what?
Hello,
I've been making large batches of dough and storing them overnight for use the next day. I'm noticing that when I pull the dough out of my stainless steal bowl, the bottom sometimes has something grey or greenish on it, in spots. I can't believe that mold can form that fast, could it be? This happens in or out of the fridge, when its proofing. I saran wrap the top, and the bowl itself is like I said stainless steel. The environment is a bit humid, does anyone know what this could be? Is it mold? I can try posting a picture next time I see it.
Share
Is your bowl made of food-quality stainless steel like 18/10?
To be honest it doesn't say, I purchased them from restaurant supply stores though. How can I tell, by weight? You think it could be the bowl?
My guess is that it is not mold. I would think it would develop on top, not on the bottom. Sounds to me like it is reacting to the metal. How about trying a batch in a food grade plastic bucket or a glass bowl and see if you get the green spots then?
Yeah thats a good point. I'm still interested in knowing what it is though if it isn't mold. Anyway I can test it without needing microscopes and a PHD in science?
Are you using any rye flour in the mix?
Nope, just bread flour, cake flour, yeast, salt, water, sugar, veg oil
anything off the kneading surface or board? food juices, spices or cleaning products?
Now two important Q's Is your water heavily chlorinated and has the SS bowl a brushed or matt scratchy surface? Both of these factors can lead to random "tea staining" of certain SS surfaces and maybe staining your dough. Very rare maybies. Salted dough more likely to happen.
Prevention can be simple, if you live near the sea, dry bowls after washing and rinse with fresh water before using. Use shiny surfaced bowls, the more mirror like, the better. Avoid using common steel soap pads and opt for stainless steel pads instead when needed. Plastic "Blue" non abrasive scrungies are better. If using chlorinated cleansers, make sure to rinse and wash and dry thoroughly after cleaning.
No, there is no kneading surface I simply pull the dough out of the mixer and put it straight into the bowl. I shape it in the bowl into a ball, then cover the top with saran wrap, leaving room in the bowl for the dough to rise (so the saran is not right up against the dough).
I don't live next to salty water, I'm in NY and I guess NY's water is known to have chlorine. The bowl gets washed with all different types of scrubbers (scouring pad, sponge and probably even stainless steel scouring pads), it doesn't look super mirrory (don't think it ever really did though) but now it does have lines from scrubbing even though its feels smooth to touch.
Finally, I do sanitize it after washing. We put it in a solution of bleach and water, but we do dry it properly. Do you suggest we don't put it in the bleach solution?
fresh running water first before putting dough in it.
And check the labels for using the sanitiser, could be the amount of solution is too strong. I would suggest or look to see if the bowls can be rinsed after sanitising and then carefully dried.
If bowls are stacked, might be a good idea to let them air dry for a while before stacking or tip them on edge with spaces between. Depends on the situation. Still not sure if that is the source of the spots, but keep your eyes open to the possibility.
grade SS bowl. There is a great variety of stainless steel available.
Here are some pictures of the "mold", don't know if it helps, but I put that dough in the fridge yesterday (the picture is only the part I cut off, the dough was a much larger ball). I put it in the fridge yesterday, came and pulled it out today and that was on the bottom of it, I only let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes so that it would be easier to handle.
To answer the question, "Mold or what?"
I will have to say it looks like a "what." Whatever that is. I'm clueless. (The plastic wrap doesn't help.)
The only thing coming to mind that could turn dough purple would be a tiny fleck of walnut skin. If you cook it does it stay purple? Perhaps a little organic matter got milled into the flour, weed seed hull or some such particle and when wet it starts to stain the dough. Have you tried that particular flour dough in other containers?
What kind of salt is being used? Sprinkle some over half a little bit of spread out dough and stick the plastic wrap back on overnight.
Keep the part you cut out. If it spreads, then it is alive. What exactly it is, might be more evident as (if) it grows.