# canned applesauce gone bad?



## xix (Dec 22, 2006)

I have two pints of applesauce left from last year and worried they've gone bad. There is little headspace left and I'm sure I left the proper amount, it looks like some stuff has leaked out and accumulated on the threads (and they would have been cleaned following removing the bands last fall), and looking at the jar there are little air pockets that wouldn't have been there at the time of canning.

The lids are still popped down snug, but you think this is enough evidence to assume it's bad? Even if not, I think it'd take a whole lot of convincing to tell me it is still good. We've eaten many jars from this batch, btw, and they were all fine... but that doesn't mean they're still fine, right?

This isn't too encouraging as this was my first real adventure in canning last fall and with me looking forward to doing my second round as soon as we get enough tomatoes in... but I do have some reason to suspect why there could have been a problem now that I've learned a bit more about canning.


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## lisa's garden (Apr 1, 2010)

I had the same thing happen with some of my applesauce from last fall, and I threw it away...dumped it in my compost and washed the jars thoroughly. 

I would not take a chance either. I have found that I need to make my applesauce a little bit thinner than I was making it. The really thick applesauce seems to bubble up more during the hot water bath, and comes out under the lid. If just a little bit gets under the lid, it can compromise the safety of your food. So I just tossed it all. Some was definitely bad...moldy, some just didn't look right. I didn't feel it was worth it to take a chance with my family's life!


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

If you're sure those jars were clean when you stored them I'd toss the contents. It's just a couple jars and better safe than sorry, for sure.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

It's probably fine, but why eat it if it worries you? Applesauce is so cheap to make. I'd just throw it away too. It's worth loosing a dollar's worth of work just to keep your mind at peace.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I've found that apple sauce can be really difficult to get completely off the threads of the jar, and I usually have one or two that I didn't get as clean as I thought I did, and they get a bit fuzzy on the threads. But they are still sealed good, and even though over time they change in appearance (just about everything does to some extent) I've never given them a second though.

I get apples from my tree every other year, so I put up a lot when I have them to last two years. I don't eat applesauce, but use it in baking and making jam.


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

Found this old post on a search on "how to tell if applesauce has gone bad"....lol 

I canned some homemade applesauce last year and some seeped out during canning. I played it safe and put them in the fridge also even though they sealed.

After digging out a can it was still sealed although there was still some moldy applesauce on the threads that i must have missed. Cleaned it up before popping the seal, popped it open wiped the rim, did a smell test and small taste test and then chowed down.

Well i figured out it was too thick after sitting for these many months. It was a nice chunky applesauce when fresh but will have to remember to thin it some for canning and to clean the threads better. 

The applesauce inside wasn't moldy or anything and tasted pretty good. If you never hear from me again the applesauce may have killed me, but I think it was fine...lol


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

A couple of things to check:

Look at the surface of the shelf where the jar was sitting and see if any apple sauce is on the shelf. This would indicate that the jar spewed.

Watch any air bubbles in the jar and over time (week?) see if they are moving. This would indicate fermentation. You can mark the original position of the bubble with a dot of a magic marker.

If the lid is still sealed, I doubt that the sauce has gone bad. Either one of the above senarios would pop the lid.


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

fermented? Alcoholic Applesauce, you may be onto something here.....hehe


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

You can make apple wine with applesauce. hee hee


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