Author Topic: Yeasty sweat sock smell  (Read 4172 times)

anutcanfly

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Yeasty sweat sock smell
« on: January 17, 2012, 11:42:44 PM »
A few of my cheeses developed moisture after vacuum packing and by itself, this hasn't caused a problem.  But when the vacuum is lost , and air gets in, they develop a yeast sweat sock aroma.  When I notice moisture or loss of seal I correct the problem, but by the time I notice it's too late.  I rub it down with salt and citric acid solution, and dry it.  But the smell remains and I suspect the culprit causing is still active.  Looks like a thin white dusting on the rind--like geo sort of.  Does anyone know how to fix the problem?? The smell ruins the rind for eating and I worry that it will permeate into the cheese itself.   :-\


Offline Boofer

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2012, 12:21:17 AM »
How does it lose the vacuum? Is it possible that the cheese is giving off gas and inflating the bag, giving the appearance of a lost vacuum? I've had that happen.

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anutcanfly

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2012, 01:19:11 AM »
The bargain bags I got last were worthless.  They look fine, but days later they have lost vacuum.  I'm having the same problem with everything I used those bags for, meat, dried fruit, etc.  Because they are so slooow to lose vacuum you've long since put stuff away thinking you had a good seal.  If this continues to be an issue I may just start painting my cheeses with cheese cream after a week or two in the cave.  I won't be able to eat the rind, but that's better than stinky rinds!

smilingcalico

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2012, 04:07:41 AM »
Best solution is to quit vacuum sealing, but that's just my personal preference.  I don't age in vacuum, but vacuum to sell cut pieces.  The only thing I've ever found that helps prevent moisture and subsequent funkiness is to refrigerate immediately following vacuum.  This in turn of course slows down the ageing process even more than sticking the cheese in the bag in the first place. 

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2012, 04:34:32 PM »
I have had good success with vacuum-sealing and aging. It is important to have a true vacuum-sealer like FoodSaver. Early on I was using a hand vacuum seal device with bags that had a little vacuum access vent. The product was by Reynolds company. It did suck air out and make somewhat of a vacuum, but in a lot of cases the bag would relax as the air drifted back in. No good. The Reynolds company killed the product. I found FoodSaver and haven't lost a vacuum seal since.

Other members here like DeejayDebi have also found success with aging in vacuum-sealed bags.

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Let's ferment something!
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anutcanfly

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2012, 05:19:51 PM »
I have a Foodsaver and have been vacuum sealing for over a dozen years.  The only thing that's changed recently are the bags, instead of Foodsaver bags, I used a bargain bag. 

The real question here is how do I get rid of that stinky odor! Salt and acid solution don't seem to help? Maybe a hot dip in boiling water??

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2012, 03:28:46 AM »
I bought some really cheap bags on eBay last year it was like $100 for 12 , 50 foot rolls (1 roll left) and I found they would quite often loose vaccum even though I always double seal everything. Sometimes it's within hours and others within days or months. Some did not even take a vaccuum so it could be the bags. Sometimes we do get what we pay for.

anutcanfly

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2012, 04:54:26 AM »
Actually, I noticed that 8 inch bags were doing fine, it was just the 11 inch bags that weren't.  The problem was a defect in the heating strip on the end, too tiny to be seen.  Hard as we looked we could never see the flaw in the seal.  I bought a new vacuum packer and all the bags are sealing well.  So I'll use the cheap bags for dried fruit and what not, and the good bags for food to be frozen--the cheap bags were not protecting meat from freezer burn.

Just as well, I was really irritated at the rolls of bags I though were useless--their now only semi useless--don't use for frozen foods.   ::)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2012, 04:51:31 PM »
They are never completely useless. You can buy replacement parts for the vacuum sealers.

http://www.officialvacupack.com/

I have the Vacupack after burning out two Foodsavers a few years ago I was not getting another one. They nt not designed for doing a lot at once - the Vacupack is. Some days I vapac 20 to 30 bags at once and hated waiting in between. I don't have to  now.

anutcanfly

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Re: Yeasty sweat sock smell
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2012, 05:42:24 PM »
Which model do you have?  That really looks nice!  Wonderful to see a product that's not a throw away.  Too bad we are past x-mas!  I know what's going on my list this year (assuming the world doesn't end)!  :)

 I've been thru a number of Foodsavers myself.  This time I just bought a Rival for $43 dollars.  Couldn't see paying more money for something that was not going to last long!  It works as well as the Foodsaver, slightly wider heat strip and about the same ratio of complaints as the Foodsaver.