Are fizzy peppers bad?

[QSis]

This week, one of my customers gave me a jar of homemade roasted peppers in oil with garlic and herbs. They weren't processed and he told me to keep them refrigerated.

I just tried one and it feels fizzy, as if there was some seltzer in there.

That means they're bad, right?

Lee

[kitchenelf]

YES, they are bad!!!!!!

Fizzy beans are bad too - I, unfortunately, have experienced those!

[larry_stewart]

Yeah, sounds like something started to ferment .

[jpmcgrew]

Sounds like it's bad also when you took lid of was it kind of bubbling?If so toss it out. Better tell customer to be on the look out as well.

[kitchenelf]

Let me also say that "homemade" anything with an oil base and fresh garlic in it is a HUGE risk for botulism growth. You need to advise the customer of this in a way that won't offend them. There's lots of stuff on the internet. It's a disaster waiting to happen!!

[Adillo303]

I think the only things that should be fizzy are carbonated beverages, that reminds me, I'm headed for the fridge.

AC

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by Adillo303

I think the only things that should be fizzy are carbonated beverages, that reminds me, I'm headed for the fridge.

AC

Like Champagne!!!!!!

[Saphellae]

Time to finish off the bottle I started last night, before Nick gets home tomorrow.....

[archiduc]

Originally Posted by kitchenelf

Let me also say that "homemade" anything with an oil base and fresh garlic in it is a HUGE risk for botulism growth. You need to advise the customer of this in a way that won't offend them. There's lots of stuff on the internet. It's a disaster waiting to happen!!

Hi QSis,
Kitchenelf is right. Whilst there may be a problem with the whole cooking process used by your customer, (and you don`t know what that was!) the chances are that the fault lies with an individual ingredient. IIRC, botulism may result from canning/bottling or, as it is an earth borne organism from using an ingredient which grows in soil such as garlic.

There have been many threads about how to infuse oil with garlic on this board and other food boards, and the consensus is don`t do it as, IIRC, garlic requires heat treatment to detroy any potential, earth borne pathogen.

Now, you have a problem here! Your palatte was able to detect that something was wrong and the general consensus from posters is that there is something wrong with the batch of goodies your customer gave you. "Fizzing" is wrong, even if it doesn`t make someone ill. BUT could you live with yourself if you did not tell your customer about your concerns about their product and someone became ill and had to be hospitalised?

No, I thought not. You need to contact your customer and tell them about the problem and potential problem with their product. At the very least, the "fizzing" will continue to the point where the jars erupt and redecorate their pantry and at worst someone will become ill. Phone them up, invite them for a coffee and tell them the truth, asap.

In the meantime, if you have an opportunity, you might like to check out web sites for your country which give information and advice about home food preservation and recipes. Pull off some information which you can pass on to your customer - an attempt to soften the blow but also to help them! I am loathe to recommend any as here in the UK bottling and canning are seen in the UK as two discrete and very different methods of preservation.

Hope this helps,
Archiduc

[jennyema]

Originally Posted by QSis

This week, one of my customers gave me a jar of homemade roasted peppers in oil with garlic and herbs. They weren't processed and he told me to keep them refrigerated.

I just tried one and it feels fizzy, as if there was some seltzer in there.

That means they're bad, right?

Lee

They are potentially very dangerous. Please tell the customer this and remind them that jarring peppers and garlic in oil is a very bad practice!!