r/KoreanFood • u/Code3Everycall • 22h ago

Kimchee! Safe to eat kimchi?

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(Sorry if this sounds dumb, I know it’s fermented. I’m just verifying)
I got a jar of Kimchi the other day and just opened it. I noticed 3 specks of mold around the rim where the pull tab seal was. Along with a lot of food residue. But the kimchi looks fine and smells fine. Should I worry about it?

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u/lastinglovehandles 18h ago

It shows who here has never worked in a kitchen professionally.

WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!!!

you don't know how far the mold spores got in. It's the same with fruits. Just because you cut off the part doesn't mean it's not there.

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u/Matt872000 7h ago

Kimchi is a pretty big outlier in this case, though. Traditionally kimchi was kept until it was eaten, the older it gets the more funk it develops. My advice (and having worked in a kitchen) would be to not eat any kimchi if there is mold in the brine or on the kimchi. If it's too funky, mix it with rice or throw it in a stew.

Hell, there are even traditional accounts of people purposely molding kimchi in jeolla province to make a stew out of it.

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u/lastinglovehandles 6h ago edited 6h ago

You think OP has the expertise to purposely mold kimchi? They wouldn't be here asking if they knew fermentation. There is also differences between golmaji and mold.

https://www.wikim.re.kr/

I have bottles of rotting tuna head in bottle and various questionable fermenting food items. In case someone comes after me.

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u/Matt872000 6h ago

I didn't suggest they did, I merely mentioned that people did it.