RIP delicious lemon ricotta.

**Would you add this moldy food to your bokashi system? Keep reading to learn more.**

Before I started composting, if I found moldy food in the fridge or fruit basket, it most definitely ended up in the trash.

I can remember one particularly surprising moldy discovery when I reached for a lemon (and I swear I just bought it) and my thumb squished through its mushy skin, covered in blue fuzz.

For most backyard composters, moldy food isn’t a second thought. It can go into a backyard compost pile or tumbler. After all, a moldy piece of bread or fuzzy produce is on its journey of decomposition.

But what about a bokashi system, where you’re cultivating specific microorganisms to speed up decomposition later?

What is ‘mold’?

Broadly, molds “are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter” (USDA, 2013). Mold is made up of tons of cells and can even be invisible to our eyes.

The different colors of mold you may see from time to time, like blue, green, or black, are created by the spores of the microscopic fungi. That also means mold “roots” can extend deep into the food and aren’t always visible.

Since fungi are nature’s decomposers and recyclers, when mold appears on food it’s starting the decomposition process.

Is it okay to add moldy food to my bokashi bucket?

Generally, yes, it is completely okay to add moldy food to your bokashi system or Bokashi Buddy. Especially if your bokashi effective microorganisms are thriving and active, they should have no problem combating a new fungi or bacteria that’s introduced.

The effective microorganisms will usually surround the mold and keep it at bay and from spreading.

And, since your bokashi system is anaerobic (free of oxygen) you’ll basically end up suffocating the mold in the system. The Lactobacillus bacteria that are essential to fermenting the food scraps in a bokashi system survive and thrive with or without oxygen.

Before adding moldy food to a bokashi system…

Avoid adding large amounts of moldy food all at once.
Remember, you want to make sure the effective microorganisms in your bokashi are thriving. When we add moldy food, we add a new player to the field. Don’t accidentally overpower your bokashi.
Add moldy food with extra Upcycled Bokashi or bokashi bran.
We like to cover moldy food with a little extra handful of Upcycled Bokashi, which helps isolate the mold and absorb extra moisture.
Consider adding moldy food after your bucket is thriving (the effective microorganisms are active, the system has the right pickly/fermented smell).

When to Avoid Mold and Use Caution

Always be careful when interacting with food scraps and avoid contact with your eyes and mouth and avoid inhaling mold directly (or you can add outdoors or while using a mask if you have worries). For most folks, the everyday molds we encounter in our homes and offices and in the air are not a cause for concern and are naturally occuring. This isn’t the case for everyone, so be cautious and consult your doctor if you’re concerned.
Folks with compromised immune systems, allergies, or other health concerns ought to avoid interacting with or adding mold to bokashi systems (and check with your healthcare providers to be sure). Depending on where you live and your environmental conditions, you may want to avoid adding or interacting with mold, especially molds with color to them.

What about the white fuzz in my bokashi system?

There’s a few reasons why white fungi (super fluffy fungi) can appear in your bokashi system:

There’s air space and humidity. Our Upcycled Bokashi uses a formula that includes beneficial fungi as well as bacteria. Certain bokashi buckets can cause that fungi to thrive.
The bokashi bran has nutrients that feed fungi. Brewer’s spent grain, the primary ingredient in our original bokashi, makes great mushroom/fungi food. Some other bokashi on the market also makes use of whole-kernel grains, which fungi loves.
It’s not just fungus. Learn more about the white fuzz in our blog post: “What the fuzz?”
Most of us bokashi composters love seeing fluffy white fuzz or fungi in a bokashi system, which will provide a huge living boost to your soil and compost later on. If that’s not your thing, make sure your bucket is always well compressed, that you add an appropriate amount of bokashi sprinkles, and temper the airspace and moisture content of your bucket.