Honey-fermented garlic left open overnight

honey

I am a five days or so into the process of honey-fermenting a batch of garlic. Took the can out to let it burp last night but then left it open on the kitchen counter and only realised in the morning. Do I have to throw it all away now? Particularly concerned about botulism…

Best Answer

As far as I can tell, with lots of googling, recipes for honey-fermented garlic have the process happening at room temperature, with fermentation occurring for up to a month. I have found some questions on the internet about safety, though this seems to be a fairly common ferment. The process of fermentation itself creates an inhospitable environment for the growth of botulism, because of the formation of alcohol and acidity. Ideally, you are looking for a pH below 4.6. The best way to determine the safety of your ferment would be to measure the pH.