Does Bokashi Smell?

🌱 Does the bokashi bin or bokashi compost smell?!? 🌱

When folks notice the bokashi bin on my kitchen countertop or when I discuss bokashi composting in the community, one of the first questions I often hear is - DOES IT SMELL?

It’s a valid concern! After all, you’re putting food scraps into a sealed bin until the bin is full. Depending on how much waste you have, this can take weeks or months. That does sound a little icky. ;)

However, you’d be surprised to learn that it doesn’t smell like the stinky garbage can sitting in your garage during the summer.

🌱 Why? 🌱

In bokashi composting, food waste undergoes fermentation in an oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment. When you add food scraps in the bin, you top it off with a thin layer of bokashi bran, which kickstarts the fermentation process.

The fermentation helps to prevent the food waste from rotting and becoming putrid, unlike what typically occurs in an aerobic environment like a garbage can. The fermentation is similar to the processes used in making pickles or Kimchi. The resulting bokashi pre-compost has a vinegar-like scent, similar to the aromas found in breweries or wineries.

I like to have people take a whiff of bokashi bran, as I find the scent of the bokashi pre-compost to be quite similar. Of course, this is open to personal interpretation!

🌱 Don’t let the fear of a smelly bin stop you from trying bokashi composting! Give it a go yourself! 🌱