Canning and Home preserving

[Folly's place]

Or is it because it just tastes different?
Be a wimp and throw it out, or redo it, sterilizing it again. 'Tastes funny' isn't a recommendation! And food poisoning ain't fun!
Mary

 

[KranK]

Well i ate about 3 jars of beans and nothing happened, but i want to know why did it ferment after pasteurization/why does it tastes like this, cuz how the brine without any sour things made it sour?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

i made some jars with green beans and some with beets. The recipe said to put some sugar and salt into the water. Both got pasteurized but it tastes sour. It doesn't look spoiled but tastes like it has fermented (a bit different than sauerkraut and pickled cucumber). But as i said they've been pasteurized. Any clue? Is it because of sugar? Or the brine? Now i think it may be because it's like brine for fermenting things like cucumber but with salt. The brine i used previous time had some vinegar.

How did you can them? Pressure canning or water bath? How long ago did you can them? How long did you process them?

I ask these questions because 1) it doesn't matter how you processed them, if you opened a jar immediately out of the canner, they shouldn't taste sour unless you added vinegar or fermented them prior to canning, which you said you didn't. 2) If you only gave them a water bath, that does not completely sterilize low-acid food because in a low-acid environment botulism spores can survive the temperatures of a water bath canner. Low-acid foods should only be pressure canned (just stating this in advance, sorry if you knew this already). This wouldn't explain the sour taste though, because botulism is odorless and tasteless. Sugar can ferment causing a sour taste, but in a canning situation, this would only happen if other bacteria were not killed during processing, meaning no matter how you processed them, temps weren't high enough to kill everything, including botulism. Or, the lids didn't seal properly. 3) When in doubt, toss it out.

 

[KranK]

How did you can them? Pressure canning or water bath? How long ago did you can them? How long did you process them?

I ask these questions because 1) it doesn't matter how you processed them, if you opened a jar immediately out of the canner, they shouldn't taste sour unless you added vinegar or fermented them prior to canning, which you said you didn't. 2) If you only gave them a water bath, that does not completely sterilize low-acid food because in a low-acid environment botulism spores can survive the temperatures of a water bath canner. Low-acid foods should only be pressure canned (just stating this in advance, sorry if you knew this already). This wouldn't explain the sour taste though, because botulism is odorless and tasteless. Sugar can ferment causing a sour taste, but in a canning situation, this would only happen if other bacteria were not killed during processing, meaning no matter how you processed them, temps weren't high enough to kill everything, including botulism. Or, the lids didn't seal properly. 3) When in doubt, toss it out.

Well, they were made in august/september this year. Jars had been put in the pot with water and after it started to boil, they've been there for about 15 minutes. All beans and beets had got boiled before putting in jars. (Idk what pressure canning and water bathing is).

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Well, they were made in august/september this year. Jars had been put in the pot with water and after it started to boil, they've been there for about 15 minutes. All beans and beets had got boiled before putting in jars. (Idk what pressure canning and water bathing is).

Ah. You did not safely can your food by the sounds of it. Personally I wouldn't eat them.

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html <--- Information about water bath canning (boiling the jars in water)

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/using_press_canners.html <---- Information about pressure canning (a requirement for canning low-acid foods like green beans, beats, meat, etc., this requires a pressure sealed canister with water inside of it which will reach temperatures much higher than simple boiling can reach)

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/ensuring_safe_canned_foods.html <---- ensuring you safely can your food

 

[Folly's place]

Pressure canning is done in a pressure canner, not a hot water bath! I think vinegar is a minimum requirement for canning beans or beets, it sure is for tomatoes!
Was this recipe an old one, or newer? I remember canning practices done by family members that are not now considered safe at all!
Mary

 

[KranK]

Pressure canning is done in a pressure canner, not a hot water bath! I think vinegar is a minimum requirement for canning beans or beets, it sure is for tomatoes!
Was this recipe an old one, or newer? I remember canning practices done by family members that are not now considered safe at all!
Mary

It was a recipe from the internet. Most recipes for green beans were like that and for beets grandpa advised me to use the same brine... Previous brine contained vinegar. So turns out food can ferment after pasteurizaiton?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

It was a recipe from the internet. Most recipes for green beans were like that and for beets grandpa advised me to use the same brine... Previous brine contained vinegar. So turns out food can ferment after pasteurizaiton?

Food only ferments if it wasn't processed safely, and yours was not processed safely. Please read the links I provided early if you can. Safely processed food will never ferment because it is in a completely sterile environment.

 

[Stepnout]

Well i ate about 3 jars of beans and nothing happened, but i want to know why did it ferment after pasteurization/why does it tastes like this, cuz how the brine without any sour things made it sour?

Sounds like you did not pressure can. You need to throw these out.
BEFORE you attempt to can anything else, I would advise doing a lot of research from trusted sources like university extension services and/or a canning manufacturer website. If you are canning bottling vegetables, any low acid foods you must use a pressure canner and you must follow a proven recipe from one of the recommended proven sources.
Water canning is good for SOME foods, again you have to use a RELIABLE source.
Please through your bad batch out. Purchase a pressure canner, you will be happy you did and your food will be safe as long as you follow a good reliable procedure.
Please don’t take this as criticism we are concerned for your safety and healt.

 

[KranK]

Okay thanks u all