new with a question about FSG

pippilongstocking

Hi! New member, and have a question about FSG, which I've been experimenting with for the past couple days, with mixed results.
Anyway. If you make it withOUT a preservative (grapefruit seed extract or citric acid), how long will it keep in the fridge? Also, when it goes bad, how obvious is it---is the smell very distinct, or is there an art to telling it's no longer good?
Thank so much!!
:color: :flower: :color:
p.s. Has anyone else found variation due to seed brand or even water type? The first time I made the gel with well water and trader joe's seeds and got only a few thin, golden tablespoons. Today, I made it with city water and bob's seed and got a shampoo bottle's worth of nearly-clear gel that I had to thin out to strain...? Don't know which is more effective, since i haven't tried the new batch yet.
Again, thanks :color:

curlykristen

pippilongstocking wrote: »

Hi! New member, and have a question about FSG, which I've been experimenting with for the past couple days, with mixed results.
Anyway. If you make it withOUT a preservative (grapefruit seed extract or citric acid), how long will it keep in the fridge? Also, when it goes bad, how obvious is it---is the smell very distinct, or is there an art to telling it's no longer good?
Thank so much!!
:color: :flower: :color:
p.s. Has anyone else found variation due to seed brand or even water type? The first time I made the gel with well water and trader joe's seeds and got only a few thin, golden tablespoons. Today, I made it with city water and bob's seed and got a shampoo bottle's worth of nearly-clear gel that I had to thin out to strain...? Don't know which is more effective, since i haven't tried the new batch yet.
Again, thanks :color:

I'm not entirely sure, but I think it should be good for a couple of weeks if you keep it in the fridge. I don't know what happens when it goes bad, b/c that hasn't happened to me.

In terms of the water, I have noticed a HUGE difference in the water I have used to make it. I don't know if it's the water hardness or the pH, but when I use city water, which is very soft with a high pH, it's pretty much useless. When I use distilled water, which is neutral, it works great. You might want to try the distilled water - it's available at pharmacies and places like Target for a little over $1/gallon.:toothy7:HTH!

pippilongstocking

Thanks! Crossing my fingers that the city water gel will be as good as it now looks...but if not I'll definitely try that :color:

ewenique

When I used tap water, the gel was cloudy and got a weird smell, so I always use distilled/purified water now. I freeze the extra, then thaw in the fridge the night before I plan to use it. I don't use preservatives, but if you read all past posts about homemade FSG, you will find info about that. Apparently the type of flax seed also makes a difference - whether they are dark or light - but I don't remember which has the stronger hold. That would be in past posts, too. I use a mixture of both, so maybe I'm getting the best of both!

curlykristen

ewenique wrote: »

When I used tap water, the gel was cloudy and got a weird smell, so I always use distilled/purified water now. I freeze the extra, then thaw in the fridge the night before I plan to use it. I don't use preservatives, but if you read all past posts about homemade FSG, you will find info about that. Apparently the type of flax seed also makes a difference - whether they are dark or light - but I don't remember which has the stronger hold. That would be in past posts, too. I use a mixture of both, so maybe I'm getting the best of both!

In my experience, the brown seeds make a better gel, but the golden ones make a gel with better hold. I recently started using a combo of the two also, and it seems to be working well!