# Canned Tomatoes came unsealed... what happened?



## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I canned 7 qts of tomatoes about a week and a half ago. When they came out of the BWC, they were all 7 of them sealed. Yesterday I noticed an unusual odor around the stored jars and sure enough, 3 of the 7 had convex lids where they had come unsealed and the contents spoiled. What in the world happened? I rechecked the seals on the other 4 and they seem to be holding, so what went wrong with the others and should I be concerned for the remaining ones?


----------



## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I have had this happen, but never that quantiy at one time. 

With mine, it happens because a small amount of pulp got siphoned out and between the lid and jar rim (you can see bits stuck up on the underside of the lid). It seals, but then the pulp starts to dry out, and eventually dries enough (usually in a few days) to cause a loose spot in the seal. The lid is still stuck quite firmly for the most part (not like when they don't seal to begin with.

Now, I've had plenty of jars with bits of pulp under the rim that never unseal, but occasionally have one that does. I had two do that last year, and so far none this year. I have not had this happen with anything except tomatoes, but they are also the only thing I have where pulp occasionally gets under the rim. 

Due to my schedule, I never seem to get canned goods put away quickly, so they sit on my kitchen floor for about a week before I have time to wash and label them and haul them downstairs. I usually can in the evening, get up and remove the rings and put them in a box out of the way (like under the table), then head to work. When it gets to the point I"m tripping over jars then I get motivated to get them down the basement. When I find they unsealed, it has always been when I go to clean them, which is usually less than two weeks after processing. 

Do you think I can convince DH that my procrastinating getting jars put a way is a good thing?


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

One thing that the book will tell you and most people seem to overlook is that, if there is the smallest spot of "bad spot" on any of your tomatoes, that little spot can cause the whole batch to spoil. Even cutting out the spot is not good enough because the spoilage bacteria is already in the tomato. Use only perfect tomatoes - no spots, cracks or blemishes.


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

This time of year there is another point. Don't use tomatoes from vines that are dying.


----------



## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

you used a water bath, did you put lemon juice in the jars with tomatoes, use to can them with out it , as they had a lot of acid, now our tomatoes have had the acid taken out and we have to add the lemon juice when water bathing, or they will spoil...this year i used the pressure canner...


----------



## Packedready (Mar 29, 2011)

One year I was sick and had my DH can all my tomatoes. I was so sick and couldn't think and I gave him the wrong processing time (not enough). They all held their seals but in some jars the seeds turned black, I dumped them.


----------



## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> hhmmmm, good point sally. I noticed that some of my jars of canned tomaotes look -well -foamy -and I toss 'em. :shrug: I suspect blighty tomatoes to be the culprit.


I thought of blight too!


----------

