It’s a strange concept that vegetables can be left out of the refrigerator for weeks, months, maybe even years without becoming unsafe to eat, but that really is the truth. The term “over fermenting” is ridiculous in itself because truly nothing can be over fermented. As long as no mold has grown and the food remains submerged, it’s safe to eat.
Some ferments are kept active for months or even years in a cool environment because the fermentation process is slowed down to a crawl. But for most of us this really isn’t practical or desirable. The bottom line is you won’t harm yourself by eating a ferment that you forgot about for a couple of extra days or a week.
Learn more about how long you can ferment food and what happens to a ferment if it’s left for a significant amount of time in the video below with fermentation expert and author, Sandor Katz.