What's growing on my mater sauce?

[gunslingor]

It's just in the layer of olive oil on top, got all those white spots. Boiled it 45m, just tomatoes cooked down with a basil leaf, left it in the fridge... guessing it's been there a month or two? I'm scared to open it, lol.

 

[pepperhead212]

If that's in the fridge, that might be the olive oil coagulating, like it would in a bottle, in the cold.

 

[gunslingor]

If that's in the fridge, that might be the olive oil coagulating, like it would in a bottle, in the cold.

Ah, fascinating. Guess I should scrap it off and stop using olive oil if I put it in the fridge. Haven't found the nerve to can and leave at room temp yet, lol

 

[Rocklobster]

When in doubt

 

[taxlady]

I would open it and have a look. If it looks like mould, get rid of it. If it looks and smells like it might be olive oil, then I dunno, maybe give it a good boil. Personally, I would dither. i would probably boil it and then chicken out and toss it.

 

[Jusa]

Looks just like coagulated OO. I'm pretty brave. If it's not moldy when opened and smells good, I'd eat it (since it's been in the frige).

 

[Kathleen]

I would skim it off and heat it. You would know pretty quickly if it is just olive oil or mold.

 

[jennyema]

Two things to remember

Boiling will not make food that’s gone bad safe to eat. Most bacteria throw off heat-resistant spores which can make you very sick. Boiling will kill bacteria but not the spores.

Food goes bad before it smells. So never rely on the “smell test,” because food that smells fine can still make you sick. Obviously, if it does smell it’s way bad.

 

[dragnlaw]

I think I would be nervous too - especially after a month or so. I personally would toss it. Even if it is just congealed Olive Oil, that is too long to leave in the fridge and be safe. IMHO

 

[GotGarlic]

A month in the fridge is way too long. The anaerobic environment in olive oil is the perfect place for botulinum bacteria to grow and create its toxic byproduct. The temperature must reach 240F to kill the botulinum spores, which is why low-acid foods need to be pressure-canned; boiling temp isn't enough. There could also be mold in the sauce itself. Next time, freeze it.

 

[gunslingor]

Well, I did boil it for 45m before putting in the fridge, so it should be canned. The other thing to consider is I have olive oil just sitting on the counter, many months if not a year, lol. So there is no way it went bad unless maybe the oil got infected from the tomatoes. The oil was supposed to be like a seal against bad stuff, drizzled on top before canning. The only part I did different is put it in the fridge instead of a cabinet.

Another thing to note, I had two jars, one showd signs of the white stuff after a week, tasted fine. Seems to build up quite slowly.

Google more, seems another test is to let it warm up and it should separate if the oil is still good.

 

[taxlady]

Well, I did boil it for 45m before putting in the fridge, so it should be canned. The other thing to consider is I have olive oil just sitting on the counter, many months if not a year, lol. So there is no way it went bad unless maybe the oil got infected from the tomatoes. The oil was supposed to be like a seal against bad stuff, drizzled on top before canning. The only part I did different is put it in the fridge instead of a cabinet.

Another thing to note, I had two jars, one showd signs of the white stuff after a week, tasted fine. Seems to build up quite slowly.

Google more, seems another test is to let it warm up and it should separate if the oil is still good.

It sounds like you don't understand about anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria love an oil top. They grow when there is no oxygen and the oil helps keep it out. Botulism is the main bacteria that we worry about under anaerobic conditions. Botulinum toxin is the most potent toxin known. Botulism spores are not killed by boiling. They need a higher temperature to be killed, as GotGarlic mentioned.

 

[gunslingor]

It sounds like you don't understand about anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria love an oil top. They grow when there is no oxygen and the oil helps keep it out. Botulism is the main bacteria that we worry about under anaerobic conditions. Botulinum toxin is the most potent toxin known. Botulism spores are not killed by boiling. They need a higher temperature to be killed, as GotGarlic mentioned.

I mean, I'm certainly not a bacterial biologist. Without that education, I would never pretend to truly understand these subjects. All I can do is read the recommendations of real scientists, but no one covers canned tomato sauce with olive oil floating on top but still put in the fridge, lol. Usually olive oil is left on the counter as far as I know.

 

[blissful]

You're alive, so you haven't eaten it yet. I wouldn't eat it. 5 days is a long time, a month...well, forget it! I suggest that you throw it out. Wear a gas mask and gloves when you do.
If you eat it, could you check in with us the next day, even if it is from the hospital?

 

[gunslingor]

You're alive, so you haven't eaten it yet. I wouldn't eat it. 5 days is a long time, a month...well, forget it! I suggest that you throw it out. Wear a gas mask and gloves when you do.
If you eat it, could you check in with us the next day, even if it is from the hospital?

Lol, okay. Will be cautious. It was supposed to last a year in a cabinet I thought.

 

[blissful]

Listen to your intuitive voice. It said, "I'm too scared to open it".

In terms of safety, if it was canned using american standards, you would have placed it on the shelf of a cabinet instead of in the fridge. BUT, oil is not recommended as a canning practice, to use as a sealant. Oil can hinder a good seal on a jar, if it was canned and put in a cabinet. So I have to assume it was not canned properly. Refrigeration slows down bacteria but it doesn't stop it.

 

[Meryl]

If it's coagulated olive oil, you'll soon find out just leaving it at room temperature on a wooden surface, for a few hours, without opening it. See if it thaws, but of course, "when in doubt, throw it out" .

Unless you live in a very cold part of the world and it's winter at the moment, olive oil shouldn't coagulate, even if it's in the fridge. So I would be very careful!
My olive oil coagulates in winter in the fridge, and in the cellar too, but only when temperatures are at freezing point.

 

[Meryl]

If it's coagulated olive oil, you'll soon find out just leaving it at room temperature on a wooden surface, for a few hours, without opening it. See if it thaws, but of course, "when in doubt, throw it out" .

Unless you live in a very cold part of the world and it's winter at the moment, olive oil shouldn't coagulate, even if it's in the fridge. So I would be very careful!
My olive oil coagulates in winter in the fridge, and in the cellar too, but only when temperatures are at freezing point.

Sorry, I forgot to add that if you had boiled this jar before putting it in the fridge, that could be the reason for the coagulated oil,just like what happens to leftover cooked oily sauces when you refrigerate them. Should still be careful, though!

 

[GotGarlic]

Properly canning tomato sauce so that it's shelf-stable requires adding lemon juice or citric acid in order to ensure that it's acidic enough to prevent botulinum spores from growing; the fact that you can only see white stuff on top doesn't mean it isn't growing down into the tomatoes. Boiling it is not enough to make it safe. Also, it's not clear whether you boiled the tomatoes in the jar (water-bath canning) or boiled them in a pot and then put them in the jar. It makes a difference.

We go by the recommendations from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Here is their information on safely canning tomatoes, along with recipes that have been tested and shown to be safe: Resources for Home Preserving Tomatoes

 

[jennyema]

Lol, okay. Will be cautious. It was supposed to last a year in a cabinet I thought.

Who suggested that?

And also, I'd re-read what taxlady explained about botulism.