Just wanted to note that we usually use the smaller 6 mm plates for production and quality control, but these plates work just as well and as you can see are quite easy to pour! For more information visit www.freshfromthefarmfungi.com MUSHLOVE! #mushroomcultivation
keep the agar jars in the PC or cooking pot with a lid on(while it still has some heat), until you need to pour, this should help with clumping at the end.. although i almost always have some, but the warmer they are kept and the faster i move, the more completely i use the agar in the jar. i use dish washing rubber gloves because they are thicker and mitigate the jars heat. i also pour vertical stacks and while i do get condensation, i usually leave them an hour or two in front of the flow hood, which cuts down significantly any condensation. i have no problems with the condensation in the dishes causing contamination or inhibiting the growth in the next phase for upwards of 7-8 weeks, although they get used in half that time.
Regarding allowing your plates stand for 72 hours in front of your flow hood as a QC measure: I can see the logic in this. But what if one were to pour in a SAB? Would it be better to let them sit, wrap them, or use ASAP?
let them sit with the lids closed, if you wrap them they may have condensation it will be ok but it’s annoying when you go to use them. You can use asap but if you get contam you won’t know if it was from pouring or lab work.
Condensation can be a problem when it pools on top of mycelium long term (which would cause it to get weak/die) or if it carries contaminants onto the agar which may happen if it is stored in less than ideal environments. There are ways to prevent contamination during pouring (cracking the lid in front of the laminar air flow, pouring when the agar is cooled significantly, stacking up plates during cooling) and also condensation can be addressed while storing plates by keeping them agar-side up in the refrigerator. Also, tapping moisture out carefully before using plates is a quick fix but can lead to contamination. MUSHLOVE
Re: problems with corrosion using Bleach - How do you feel about quaternary ammonium products vs bleach? It's my understanding that it's non-corrosive and more effective than bleach. Love your channel - thanks.
@@FreshfromtheFarmFungi thx Gary but I have a few problems when I do it this way. I want to sterilize the already poured petri dishes with MEA (or other agar receipe). I would use these special bags they use in hospital kitchen, they are autoclavable and seal themself. The main problem ist that I want to pour 20x agar plates at once but only need a few. the rest gets contaminated to much DO you have experience with this way? BR and thx - awesome channel :)
I usually keep them in the hood for 4-5 days to ensure sterility then use them up or store them in the fridge in the sterile sleeves that they come in until ready for use
My thoughts on antibiotic usage are conservative because of my previous clinical and laboratory experiences. Gentamicin is a broad spectrum antibiotic that would be useful in this procedure, and is common among growers but I prefer to use clean, and precise techniques to eliminate the need for antibiotics. This conservative opinion is because of potential environmental factors and the potential for masking imperfect techniques. Preventative measures are in place to prevent contamination, and using antibiotics masks any flaws in the system. Furthermore, when antibiotics are flushed down the drains, or discarded in waste, they accumulate in the environment and can produce antibiotic resistant bacteria. This is very relevant in the Great Lakes region of the US (Specifically on the shore lines of lake Erie) Where each year, large amounts of antibiotics that are used in agriculture, wash onto the beach and slowly help build a resistant population of bacteria in the sand and shores that would otherwise not exist. Hope this makes sense (and it's just my opinion) - MUSHLOVE
