Cutting Edge L. Gasseri Superfood Starte Culture 8g

Ingredients: Lactobacillus gasseri, non-GMO FOS (Fructooligosaccharides)

Contains live probiotics. Vegan. Dairy-free. Non-GMO.

Packaged in a facility that also handles products that may contain wheat, soy, eggs, milk, and fish.

L. Gasseri Superfood is not a yogurt. It's a unique cultured dairy made with completely different bacteria than conventional yogurt. It was conceived as a method of introducing high quantities of the beneficial bacteria L. gasseri into your microbiome.

We do that by fermenting the starter culture in dairy for 36 hours at a low temperature (37°C), with prebiotic fiber. This ‘low and slow’ method is very different than the fermentation process of yogurt, and enables the L. gasseri bacteria to proliferate many times over until there are hundreds of billions of live bacteria in the jar.

The resulting concentrations of L. gasseri bacteria are much higher than can be obtained from any currently available supplement* or yogurt (including homemade ones) that we know of.

Since the fermentation process for L. Gasseri Superfood is uni5que, the result can look different from other fermented dairy products.

Fermentation of L. Gasseri Superfood in dairy yields a pleasantly-tangy and super-healthy result.*

Separation into solid and liquid (curds and whey) is quite common with L. Gasseri Superfood. A separated batch is usually perfectly good and delicious. Separation is mostly a cosmetic issue, and not usually a sign of a problem.

*The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 

And there's a bonus, too! Once you've made a batch of L. Gasseri Superfoood using our L. Gasseri Superfood starter, you can use some of it to culture your next batch! This is called 'reculturing' and can be repeated several times over.

Instructions (dairy)

Makes: 1 L of cultured dairy
Time: 10 minutes preps, 36 hours culturing (1 day and 12 hours)

Timing is important. L. Gasseri Superfood takes 36 hours to ferment. It's best to start early in the morning or later in the evening. Otherwise, if you start in the afternoon, for example, fermentation will finish 36 hours later, in the middle of the night.)

You’ll need:

• An appliance that can maintain a constant temperature of 37 degrees celsius for 36 hours, and which can ideally hold at least one 1 L jar. Best two options are a sous-vide device or a yogurt maker with adjustable time and temperature settings, such as Luvele. (Other options that might work are: Instant Pot / slow cooker / brewing or kombucha warmer/heater - if these can be set to 37 degrees celsius for 36 hours and hold at least one 1 L jar).
• A glass jar that can hold at least 1 L of liquid. Make sure that your utensils (jar, spoons, etc) are very clean.
• A loosely fitting lid (or possibly a plastic wrap), to cover your jar.
• 1 sachet of L. Gasseri Superfood Starter.
• 2 tablespoons of a prebiotic fiber (such as Prebio Plus or Chicory Root Fibre).
• Dairy
  • For the 1st batch we recommend:
    • 1 L ultra-pasteurised half-and-half, or
    • 1 L ultra-pasteurised whole milk or 2%, or
    • 1 L combination of the above
    • Can’t find ultra-pasteurised? Heat the dairy to 90C for 10 minutes, then let it cool to 100F before starting the recipe. Use dairy without additives. Goat milk will yield a thin result. 
  • For the 2nd batch and onwards:
    • 1 L of any ultra-pasteurized dairy mentioned above, or
    • 1 L pasteurised half-and-half/whole/2%/combination of these

Steps:

1. In a glass jar, mix 2 tablespoons of prebiotic fiber (such as Prebio Plus of Chicory Root Fibre) with the contents of 1 sachet of L. Gasseri Superfood Starter.
2. Add approximately 1.5 cups of dairy (cold, or up to 37 degrees). Whisk well to avoid clumping and for even distribution. Do not blend. 
3. Stir in the remainder of the dairy, leaving some headspace. Mix/whisk well for even distribution. Do not blend.
4. Cover lightly with a loosely fitting lid or a plastic wrap. (If using small individual jars, pour the mixture evenly into the jars, leaving some headspace, and loosely cover each jar with its own lid).
5. Ferment at 37 degrees for 36 hours, away from the airflow of air vents/heaters/air conditioning, etc., and away from other ferments. Do not stir while fermenting. Do not open the jar(s) while fermenting.
6. After 36 hours, remove from appliance, let cool, then secure lid(s) and put in the refrigerator. Check after a few hours. If the surface layer smells strong or looks different than the rest of the jar, scrape it off and discard it. Wait one minute before closing the lid(s), then close lid(s) and put in the refrigerator. Separation into solid and liquid is common. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

• Reculture: To make a new batch, repeat these instructions but use 2 tablespoons of your previous batch of cultured dairy as your starter. Don't forget the prebiotic fiber. Don't add new starter from a sachet. If the previous batch separated, use 1 tablespoon of the curds and 1 tablespoon of the whey (or 2 tablespoons of whey if the curd is too firm) as your starter.

• Important tips: Don’t heat the end-product or stir it into a hot dish. If blending is needed, keep it to a minimum and at a low speed. L. gasseri are living bacteria, and are sensitive to heat and to intense agitation.

Note: Store the starter culture in the refrigerator or freezer until you're ready to use it.