fermented food always good?

[Anna2010]

I blended some fresh corn with raw macadamia nuts and left the mixture in my fridge for a couple of days. Then I found the mixture has become thickened and has acquired a sour flavor. It has also a smell that suggests fermentation. I guess it has become fermented. Is it still good for consumption? I know some fermented foods, such as kimchee and kombucha, are good for health. What about my fermented corn-macdamia mixture? Are fermented foods always good? Will someone enlighten me on this?

[RawnieColeman]

You don't need a lab to ferment food properly, but its a good idea to try and control the circumstances under which you culture your food.

When I used to program, and I wrote a program that worked, but it shouldn't have I didn't understand why, they called that voodoo programming. I wouldn't mess around with voodoo fermenting.

Not saying you shouldn't take the bull by the horns and experiment, but do so with a little background about the ingredients your using, the temp the stuff is store at etc. so you have an idea about what results to expect.

[sport]

I would think that it is not wort the risk of feeling unwell.

[MysticTree]

nuts will ferment in a good way - think nut cheese and nut yogurts.

corn I think less so. I think it would be fizzy in a bad way not a good way.

the only way to tell is to sniff it, taste it and if you like those two options, eat a bit. If it works, make it again. My feeling is that fermenting corn is not a happy thing though.

[climbing]

So far I've never used a temperature gauge or anything of the like while fermenting stuff. I make my own nut cheese and kimchi. I just put them in jars and leave them sitting on the shelf for a little while, til I get the intuition that it's done, or I smell the cheesy, fermented smell.

Not saying it's the best way but I've never gotten sick and everything I've made has tasted yummy.

[MysticTree]

that's how I do it too.

[Anna2010]

Thanks to everyone for your useful input.