Why is my jam moldy?

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chrissie B

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Re: Why is my jam moldy?
« Reply #15 on: November 16, 2014, 08:35 »
did it have enough sugar in it I found some time back that conserves and low sugar bought jams do this si I keep in the fridge , could be a number of reasons have you checked the rest .
chrissie b
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LotuSeed

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Re: Why is my jam moldy?
« Reply #16 on: November 16, 2014, 09:13 »
Low-sugar and no-sugar jams can be shelf stable without being refrigerated provided the filled jars have been processed in a boiling water bath for at least ten minutes. (Jars of course will seal without this step, however temps reached during process in a canner are high enough to kill mold spores or bacteria that the jam may have come into contact with during the short process of moving it from pot to the bottles. Granted full sugar jams are more likely to maintain color longer and are less prone to discoloration, but added sugar isn't absolutely necessary to preserve the jam. (Yay for diabetics and people cutting down on sugar!  :D)
I think the issue with my strawberry jam was more discoloration than mold and I don't think I cooked it down long enough, which would have concentrated the natural sugars in the fruit as the moisture content was boiled off.

Btw boiling the filled jars in a water bath canner for ten minutes also eliminates the need for adding wax discs and it also provides a stronger seal.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2014, 16:41 by LotuSeed »
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Kevin67

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Re: Why is my jam moldy?
« Reply #17 on: November 16, 2014, 13:28 »
Another excellent thread - I'm saving this one on my hard drive.

Advance apology to mods: I'm going slightly off topic here...
MrsBee, may I ask, what type of jam pan do you use? Thick bottom? Do you heat over gas?

Thanks to all on this thread.
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devonbarmygardener

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Re: Why is my jam moldy?
« Reply #18 on: November 17, 2014, 22:21 »
MY Gran always just removed the mouldy top and ate the jam underneath :)
Me - I have a fear of mould s guess what - I chuck it! :lol:

I reuse jam jar lids but I also always use wax seals and this seems to prevent the problem - at least for the first 12 months :)

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Madame Cholet

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Re: Why is my jam moldy?
« Reply #19 on: November 17, 2014, 22:44 »
It was only a tiny bit on the top I scraped it off :D Just made some damson one of my favourites.
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chrissie B

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Re: Why is my jam moldy?
« Reply #20 on: November 18, 2014, 12:50 »
that's all I do If its only a little , maybe something dropped in while you were filling .
chrissie b


 

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