can pickled foods go moldy?

[foxytina_69]

can pickled foods go moldy?

i was going to have some pickled asparagus but its got white spots on sum of them, but im not sure if this is mold or not. :S

[MzNatural]

Yes the can become moldy.

Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed? Yes, molds can thrive in high-acid foods like jams, jellies, pickles, fruit, and tomatoes. But these microscopic fungi are easily destroyed by heat processing high-acid foods at a temperature of 212 °F in a boiling water canner for the recommended length of time. For more information about processing home-canned foods, go to: http://foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/presqueryform.cfm or www.homecanning.com/usa.

[foxytina_69]

i read that already, and knew that they needed to be, but i bought the pickled asparagus so i dont know if they had done this or not, and i dont know if its mold. thanx for the links

[Kiva Dancer]

I wrote a food specialist at a major university and this is the reply I got back:

Check the white spots. When canning or pickling asparagus, a white
something may form. It is usually crystal or salt like - hard or gritty to
the touch. It is called rutin and is not harmful. Usually pickling done
properly, insures a safe product if the lid is properly sealed. Once the
container is opened, the product needs to be refrigerated and used within a
reasonable time - 1-3 months for pickled products.

[foxytina_69]

thanx kiva