26/06/2024
Well, there are some characteristics of tempeh which has good quality.
First, its surface is covered with mycelium (fine yard) evenly. It is caused by the mold that sporulates on soybeans.
Second, the tempeh structure is compact and in the white colour.
Third, between grains of soybeans are filled with mycelium with a strong and evenly bonded.
Fourth, the blackish gray spores don’t appear yet.
Fifth, it doesn’t smell bad taste of ammonia.
Sixth, it is not crumble when the tempeh is sliced.
While most people who know tempeh won’t be scared off by its appearance, there’s one quirky aspect of this fermented plant protein that people often question. It’s those gray or black spots. We occasionally get emails from people saying, “I bought your tempeh but I can’t eat it — it’s moldy!” We always get a chuckle as we explain to them that tempeh is SUPPOSED to be moldy! If it wasn’t moldy, it wouldn’t be tempeh! 🙂 Here’s how to tell if your tempeh is still safe to eat.
Good Mold
To understand where the dark spots come from, you’ll need to know a little bit about how tempeh is made. Tempeh is a fermented food, and that’s one of the reasons it’s so popular. To make it, we add a special type of mold called “Rhizopus” to cooked soybeans (or a mixture of beans and grains). The mold breaks down the carbs, oils, and proteins in the soybeans, improving their texture, flavor, and digestibility, and creating a sliceable tempeh “cake.” Once the tempeh is done, we stop the fermentation process with a thorough cook step, which deactivates the mold.
Spores & Spots
During fermentation, the good mold is allowed to grow and reproduce. When this particular mold matures, it can create spores that are pigmented black or gray. It’s these spores that appear as small dark spots on the surface of your tempeh. These spots are completely normal and totally edible, and they’re a sign that your tempeh is fully mature. They don’t affect the flavor at all.
Bad Mold?
Like most foods, tempeh can spoil after it’s opened and grow mold. Fortunately, it’s easy to tell the good mold from the bad. First off, the harmless spots are black or gray, and the spots on your tempeh shouldn’t grow. The good mold is killed off in pasteurization, so any mold that continues to spread probably got there after arrival in your home. Don’t eat any spots that look hairy or furry. Normal tempeh should smell earthy or nutty and have a firm, moist texture. It should not be slimy or wet. If you smell an ammonia-like odor, pitch your package of tempeh. If you do buy a package of tempeh and find that it has any of these signs of bad mold when you open it (before the expiration date and even though it’s been properly refrigerated), the maker needs to know! Take a picture, jot down the lot code on the package, and contact the store or manufacturer.