A good-quality sauerkraut is expected to have a titratable acidity of 1. 5% - 1. 8% (lactic acid concentration) with a pH between 3. 2 and 2. 8. In addition to lactic acid, there may be other acids at low concentrations, but the titratable acidity is expressed in terms of lactic acid equivalent. Although canned sauerkraut is in an anaerobic environment, the spores of Clostridium botulinum will either not germinate or if they do germinate, the vegetative cells will not be able to grow and reproduce if the pH is 4.6 or lower. Consequently, this can be called a "commercially sterile" product, in other words, a product that will not spoil at room temperature. In other words, during fermentation, the lactic acid that's formed thoroughly acidifies the product. Sauerkraut is a world away from the issues plain cabbage sealed in a jar would present. In essence, you can treat your sauerkraut as you would a jar of unsealed peaches. If it smells fine, go ahead and eat it. The "risk" would have to do with possible mushiness or off-tastes due to the presence of air, but not botulism. There are no documented cases of botulism in sauerkraut for good reason. Carol Here is a link that might be useful: U of Maine Microbial Quality and Safety of Food

Couple of different issues here Deborah and I think it is important to not confuse them. First, a compromised immune system isn't something to experiment with, right? If this person's doctor feels they need probiotic supplements then I'd follow his advice. With commercial supplements, as with everything else in life there are varying degrees of quality available. based on my readings, the dosage level (low vs. high counts) is often adjusted for body tolerance. In other words nothing is gained by inundating the body with high levels when the system cannot tolerate or even use them and excretes them causing additional digestive problems. So perhaps a consistent daily low dose apparently works better. Secondly, kefir or whey or any other such additives are NOT recommended for use with compromised immune systems for the reasons already discussed. More importantly, they are not needed for safe healthy fermentation. They only serve to speed up the fermentation process and that is not necessarily always a good thing. Some recipes will say 3-5 days but that in no way means you can't let it go longer. It gets better if you do. Which is why NCHFP recommends a full 7 days for full fermentation. In other words it is possible to UNDER-ferment and risk some potentailly risky bacteria but it isn't really possible to OVER-ferment. :) NCHFP does not recommend using kefir in any of its fermented recipes and millions of us ferment all kinds of fruits and vegetables (including kimchee) and benefit from the resulting probiotics without using it. So it's easy to provide good levels of fermented foods rich in probiotics without using it. Check out the link below for more info, especially the peach chutney. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Fermented food recipes

Monique...so happy you got your little cukes. You can not believe how good Chase's pickles are. I know I've heard it over and over but my first bite was really good....I mean REALLY good! K..here it is and make sure to follow her directions exactly how they are written. Sharon's Dill Pickles Here is more information about Dills than you ever wanted! I have no idea what exactly makes these pickles so good so I am religious about following the steps to the tee! I make these a bushel at a time, each bushel yields about 50 jars. If using less than a bushel you can usually count on between 6-8 dills(cukes) per 1 quart jar, depending on size. Use 3" to 4" cukes that have just been picked. I get mine at the market and always insist on cukes that have been picked that morning or the day before at the earliest. Place the cukes in ice cold water (I use my bath tub!!) and add a bag or two of ice to the water. The cukes should stay in the ice water for a minimum of 2 hours but no more than 8. Refresh the ice as required. I make the brine in great big batches using this ratio: 2 cups white vinegar (I use pickling vinegar) 6 cups water 1/3 cup coarse pickling salt For each jar of dills you will need 2 nice size garlic cloves peeled and cut in half (4 pieces) and two dill florets. Use the dill heads not that fluffy stuff! So if you are doing a bushel....that is 50 jars so you need 100 dill florets and 100 garlic cloves. Leave the cukes whole. Now here is where the canning police and I part ways. This is how I do it and have for 30 years but it is not according to the guidelines . You'll need to make your own choice but I am convinced this is why they are so crisp. I sterilize my jars using the sani cycle of the dishwasher (you could boil the jars instead) When they are really hot, almost at the end of the cycle I place them in a oven at 150 degree to keep them good and hot. Make the brine and bring the brine to a full and rolling boil. Place the rings and lids in a large saucepan with water and bring them almost to the boil. Then turn down but keep them hot. Place the cukes, garlic and dill in the hot jars. I do garlic, dill, cukes, garlic, dill. Pour brine over the cukes. Only do 2 jars at a time, leave the rest in the oven to keep them hot. Wipe the rim really well, this is critical to sealing, and place lid and ring on and screw to finger tight. Let sit 6-8 weeks before eating! Here is what I think is most critical: Fresh cukes Ice bath Boiling hot brine Very hot jars Clean rim So as a recap of ingredients 1) Make the brine in the quantity you need , just keep making it 2) Count on 6-8 medium size cukes to a jar 3) 2 large florets of dill to a jar 4) 2 large size garlic cloves, cut in half, ( 4 pieces) per jar Well that's all I can think of for now! Let me know if you have questions and let me know how they turn out! Good luck !

Saving the juice is a great idea. Now, when you say "better quality sugars", what exactly does that mean? Not just granulated sugar like you would buy in the grocery store? Have you noticed a real diference in the taste of the finished wine when using corn sugar? Oh, and where do you buy your corn sugar at the cheapest price? Do you have a retail source or the internet or what? Can't say I would disagree with your Mrs. about the money issue, but then I haven't used grape juices by the gallon, yet, either (I actually like non-grape fruit wines more). You might have sources there in Pennsylvania which are not avilable to us here in Connecticut. Still, if you can make a 5 gallon batch from a gallon of juice, $17 isn't all that bad. Twenty-five bottles of wine for less than $20 beats the stuffing out of what you can buy in a store. I haven't made Elderberry since I helped my folks make some years and years ago. Then, we could just go pick the berries wild. Now, I don't live where Elder bushes grow. I'm in the intitial stage of planning out a planting on a pretty small plot of land, in which I hope to include blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. Elders may find a home here eventually, but they are not on my radar yet.