For Anonymous: Let's Talk Germs

Anonymous/Anna asked: Why is lactobacillus linked with breaded chicken?

I have no idea. Your question is the first I've heard of it. Nor, when I did a search on it, did I find anything that linked them.

Now, I'm not a bacteriologist or a food scientist or a doctor, so I'm not saying there is or isn't a link and, since you asked me, I could speculate (in an amateur kind of way) on why they might be linked. And, since it's my blog, I'll do that. Just note that my speculation should in no way be confused with facts.

Lactobacillus actually encompass a large family of bacteria, mostly benign, some helping in digestions and often associated with the breakdown of lactose (and other sugars) to lactic acid. They are a commonly used in yeast cultures, in beer making and in yogurts. In fact, that (and that alone) seems like a good argument for why we might find lactobacillus around breaded chicken; with their affinity for grains/flour and milk products, it seems like there'd be no surprise to find them in a chicken batter, which would likely include both - particularly a buttermilk batter. However, it seems unlikely they'd survive the frying process.

If that wasn't what you were looking for, please let me know with some nudges what you were looking for and I'll do more digging.

Read more...