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suppressing mold growth in pectin glue

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OK, it has happened to me for the first time this weekend. I had left the sealed baby food jar of pectin glue in with my rolling tools for a few weeks. Found it covered with a happy and healthy growth of mold. Trashed it, cleaned out the jar, remixed a fresh batch and I am now storing it in the frige. Is there anything I can add to the mix to suppress mold? perhaps replace 50% of the water with vodka?
 
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Interesting question and even more interesting potential solution. I've had a jar in the fridge for over a year now with no problems at all. I don't think alcohol will prevent pectin from setting properly but I've never tried to make rum spiked jam before so I can't say for sure. I'd just keep the big jar in the fridge and pull out a couple of TBSPs as needed when rolling.

And I hope you cleaned the jar really well
 
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Why worry? Mix a little at a time & throw it away when it gets old. Not like it costs enough to worry about.
My latest batch of cellulose glue has lived on my desk without refrigeration for a couple months now, just cause I didn't roll a thing for six weeks. No probs whatever. You could switch to cellulose. Bonus -- no taste to cellulose.
 
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Yep, I'd ditch the pectin and not worry about it.
Your pectin used in your gars might mold if you have them long enough.
Or shall I say "PLUME" as most folks call mold. :D
so far, no mold on my roll ups, although who knows what will happen when summer comes and the 80RH swoops in. Right now the house is at 45RH, so drying is a breeze. I've actually been using my roll ups as a humidity source for my humidors.
 

Dominican56

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They're your cigars. Were it me, I wouldn't cut a corner by using pectin.

Nacho, that's a great bit of research they are doing down there. I've gotten into "conversations" about PLUME with several of the guys. They treat it as a holy grail of a great aged cigar. "If it's white, it's mold. If it's not mold, prove it." It pisses 'em off like you can't imagine.

The word "Plume" by definition relates to feathers. Oh, and it relates to MOLD when the word is used my the cigar industry. :D
 
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Had read that article previously. I agree it was quite enlightening. Just trying to avoid mold and keep the stockpile smokable.

I have read a couple posters on this forum that claim pectin turns cigars "sour" over time. Neither me nor the BOTLs that share my roll ups have reported such a phenomenon, although I can detect a slight citrus hint when I taste the glue from the jar. Not at all unpleasant to me. How long does it take to develop this sourness?
 
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Had read that article previously. I agree it was quite enlightening. Just trying to avoid mold and keep the stockpile smokable.

I have read a couple posters on this forum that claim pectin turns cigars "sour" over time. Neither me nor the BOTLs that share my roll ups have reported such a phenomenon, although I can detect a slight citrus hint when I taste the glue from the jar. Not at all unpleasant to me. How long does it take to develop this sourness?
Used pectin quite a while. Never tasted the sour. Regretted the citrus.

Cellulose is cheap. Bought a couple ounces from a children's craft store for about six bucks. Couple ounces is a lifetime supply. I see a pound bag at amazon for seventeen bucks. That would be all our lifetimes' supply. Could easy enough go to the Home Despot and score some wallpaper glue. All the same as Bermacol, according to Smith at the cigar factory. Send you some, if you want.
 

Dominican56

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Used pectin quite a while. Never tasted the sour. Regretted the citrus.

Cellulose is cheap. Bought a couple ounces from a children's craft store for about six bucks. Couple ounces is a lifetime supply. I see a pound bag at amazon for seventeen bucks. That would be all our lifetimes' supply. Could easy enough go to the Home Despot and score some wallpaper glue. All the same as Bermacol, according to Smith at the cigar factory. Send you some, if you want.
Bermacol smells exactly the same to me as Cellulose glue when it is mixed.
 
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Nuttin, honey. Tasteless. Extracted from some pulped up wood or some such.

Tellin you, I'll send you some, if you want to try for yourself.
and does it support mold growth if not refrigerated?

I was a bit surprised that the pectin grew mold, because it was my second batch. The first I mixed at 1:1 with water and it gelled up like library paste. Stored it at room temp with my other rolling supplies and no mold in 6 weeks. Worked fine and stayed where I put it, but needed a bit or rubbing to smooth out the lumps. The second batch ( which did mold) I mixed at 1 powder :2 water and it was a better consistency. the third (current) batch I split the difference and went 1:1.5. Also am storing it in the frige between rolling sessions.
 
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Life is everywhere. They got moldy schidt will grow in total dark two miles below an antarctic glacier. Hell, they got something they won't admit to growing on freaking Mars, fer cryin out loud, right here in this pic:



oops, wrong pic. I meant this one:


What I'm saying, name me the thing that won't support mold. Who cares? Cellulose has never once knock wood gone moldy on me. No fridge. Tap water. One palette knife of powder to a pill cup of water. Leave it overnight & the lumps automagically foam outta there.

Too much worry in this room.
 
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