As I understand it, lacto fermentation works so well because it’s very low tech. Using your hands doesn’t matter. For the same reason that fermented stuff shou

As I understand it, lacto fermentation works so well because it’s very low tech. Using your hands doesn’t matter. For the same reason that fermented stuff should be washed or sterilised before being canned (well, rinse the soil and dirt but that’s it). Once you’ve started eating them though (so after they’re done fermenting), you should use clean utensils, no double dipping, etc because it has a higher risk to spoil as you’ve introduced air in the vessel. The organisms that ferment come from the air and the surface of the food you’re fermenting. If you use sealed jars that can outgas (so they don’t explode), the fermentation generates CO2 while eradicating all other bacteria. Mold cannot take hold because there is no air. It’s a self caring process where you virtually can’t intoxicate yourself. Just use your eyes and your nose: if you somehow didn’t seal them properly they’ll go bad. And if they’re bad you can very easily tell: they smell and look wrong. I’ve been lactofermenting all sorts of food and it’s a great source of vitamins, probiotics. It’s very very easy to do and it’s been done for millennia in societies where refrigeration didn’t exist and where we didn’t have access to sterile kitchen and utensils. It can also be done anywhere as you don’t need heat or energy. Only water, salt, and food. You can even use water jars instead of sealed jars (not sure how they’re actually called, they have a water layer to keep air from touching the fermenting food so it doesn’t mold)