Fermenting Eggs with LABS and Molasses

Fermenting eggs with Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains (LABS) and molasses can result in a product commonly known as “egg hydrolysate” or “fermented egg solution.” This solution contains a mixture of amino acids, peptides, enzymes, and other beneficial compounds produced during the fermentation process.

What it can be used for:

1. Plant Growth Promoter: Egg hydrolysate is rich in amino acids and peptides, which are essential nutrients for plant growth and development. When applied to plants, it can promote root development, improve nutrient uptake, and enhance overall plant vigor.

2. Foliar Spray: Diluted egg hydrolysate can be used as a foliar spray to provide plants with a quick and easily absorbable source of nutrients. Spraying the solution onto leaves can help boost photosynthesis, increase plant resilience to environmental stress, and enhance fruit or flower production.

3. Soil Amendment: Egg hydrolysate can be incorporated into the soil as a soil amendment to improve soil fertility and microbial activity. It contributes organic matter and beneficial microorganisms, which help enhance soil structure, nutrient availability, and water retention.

4. Compost Accelerator: Adding egg hydrolysate to compost piles can accelerate the decomposition process by providing a source of readily available nutrients for composting microorganisms. It helps break down organic matter faster, resulting in nutrient-rich compost for use in gardens and landscapes.

5. Seed Treatment: Treating seeds with diluted egg hydrolysate before planting can improve seed germination rates and seedling vigor. The solution provides essential nutrients and beneficial microorganisms that support early seedling growth and establishment.

6. Biostimulant: Egg hydrolysate acts as a biostimulant, stimulating plant growth and enhancing plant health through the release of growth-promoting substances and the activation of beneficial microbial activity in the soil and on plant surfaces.

Overall, fermenting eggs with LABS and molasses to produce egg hydrolysate offers a natural and sustainable approach to improving plant health and enhancing agricultural productivity. It serves as a versatile and valuable resource for organic growers and gardeners seeking to optimize plant growth and soil fertility in an environmentally friendly manner.

Here’s the basic process we follow for fermenting eggs with LABS and molasses

1. Prepare the Eggs: Clean and sterilize the eggs you’ll be using. Crack them open and separate the yolks from the whites if desired.
2. Mix with Molasses: Combine the eggs with molasses in a clean container. The molasses provides sugar for the bacteria to ferment.
3. Add LABS Culture: Introduce the LABS culture to the mixture. You can use a commercial LABS culture or create your own by fermenting vegetables or dairy. Being growers rather than livestock farmers, we ferment vegetables/plants. I’ve gone into more detail below on how we make LABS culture (short for Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains).
4. Fermentation Under Airlock: Place the mixture in a fermentation vessel equipped with an airlock. This prevents oxygen from entering while allowing carbon dioxide to escape, creating an anaerobic environment ideal for fermentation. The ratio of egg to molasses can vary depending on factors such as personal preference, desired taste, and the specific fermentation process you’re following. However, a common starting point is to use approximately 1 part molasses to 10 parts egg by weight. This ratio provides enough sugar from the molasses to support fermentation by the LABS culture while allowing the eggs to undergo hydrolysis and release amino acids. You can adjust the ratio based on your taste preferences and the desired outcome of the fermentation process. It’s always a good idea to experiment with small batches to find the ratio that works best for your needs.
5. Fermentation Time: Fermentation times can vary depending on factors like temperature and the specific LABS culture used. Generally, fermentation can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. Monitor the process closely.
6. Harvesting: Once fermentation is complete, strain the mixture to separate the liquid (hydrolysate) from any solids. The liquid portion will contain amino acids and other beneficial compounds.
7. Storage: Store the liquid in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator to slow down further fermentation and preserve the amino acids. Remember to maintain cleanliness throughout the process to prevent contamination.

Creating LABS Culture from Fermenting Vegetables

1. Select Vegetables: Choose fresh, organic vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, or beets. Wash them thoroughly and chop them into small pieces.
2. Create Brine: Prepare a brine solution by dissolving non-iodized salt in filtered water. The ratio is typically around 2-3% salt by weight of the water.
3. Pack Vegetables: Place the chopped vegetables into a clean, sterilized fermentation vessel. Pack them tightly to remove any air pockets.
4. Cover with Brine: Pour the prepared brine solution over the vegetables, ensuring they are completely submerged. This creates an anaerobic environment, preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.
5. Fermentation: Allow the vegetables to ferment at room temperature, typically for about 1-4 weeks. The duration can vary depending on factors like temperature and desired flavour intensity.
6. Check for Fermentation: During the fermentation process, you may notice bubbles forming and a sour aroma developing. This indicates that lactic acid fermentation is occurring.
7. Harvest LABS Culture: Once fermentation is complete, strain the liquid from the fermented vegetables. This liquid contains a rich culture of lactic acid bacteria.
8. Storage: Store the LABS culture in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be used as a starter culture for various fermentation projects, including fermenting eggs with molasses. Remember to maintain cleanliness throughout the process to prevent contamination. Additionally, it’s essential to research and follow safety guidelines when fermenting vegetables to ensure the final product is safe to consume.

A big thank you to Lyudmyla Sharma

For the information below, and also for always being there to answer any questions we have. Her enthusiasm and vast knowledge of regenerative agriculture is always a wonder to me.

Urea (CO(NH2)2) is the most commonly used nitrogen fertilizer with high (46%) N content. Buffering urea with humic acid (which can be extracted on a farm from ancient compost like Lignite or Leonhardite or from vermicompost) at one part humic to 20 parts of urea in at least 4 times the water helps prevent plant tissue burns, and improves urea active uptake by the Phyllosphere without hurting plant microbiota or causing a prolonged slump in photosynthetic rate, observed with urea unbuffered with humic acid, as can be monitored by Brix with a simple refractometer. Soluble humic acid can be extracted from lignite or leonhardite powder mixed with 5 times the volume of 0.1 molar potassium hydroxide, then allowed to settle for 8-24 hours and aspirated from the top.
Deficiency of Nickel, a cofactor of a urease enzyme, prevents assimilation of urea into amino acids, as do urease inhibitors used in soil. 1% MgSO4 seems to improve urea translocation especially when heavy water is used because bicarbonates and carbonates inhibit both uptake and translocation within the plant. And Mg is at the heart of every chlorophyll molecule.
Using rain or RO water can significantly improve efficiency of urea foliar application as estimated by plant sap analysis, especially when humic acid and 0.01% yucca powder based wetter sticker are used. Adding ammonium thiosulfate along with MgSO4 till N:S ratio is 10:1 + sugar + citric acid chelated Molly + fermented kelp can help shorten the Brix slump and reduce the effective rate of urea by a quarter.
It’s a good idea to combine urea and humic acid application with broad spectrum minerals like wood ash, or micronized basalt or granite dust, or pottlicker – mineral rich solution left over after removing 97% of sodium chloride from ocean water during reverse osmosis for water desalination.
Fermenting urea with a carbon source (such as molasses or glucose or sweet sorghum or rotting fruit) and additional nutrients like ash or sea minerals allows to convert urea into more stable organic molecules such amino acids, peptides, and proteins etc., that save the plant both water and energy and stimulate plant growth at much lower net N amounts.
Us this link for more details on facebook.