[Li]

  made some jam in july this year just found it in cupboard still sealed but furry on top of wax papers i have still got jam from last year and is ok what have i NOT done ? many thanks

[shokkyy]

It can happen because you didn't use enough sugar, because it was stored somewhere damp, because the fruit was a bit damp and had mold spores on it when it was picked, or because there's too big a gap at the top of the jar (between the jam and the lid).

[mumofstig]

perhaps you forgot to sterilize the lids, when you did the jars?

Did you use some old wax lids?

All is not lost - just scrape the top off the jam, wipe the jar rims clean and  you can eat the jam 

[sunshineband]

If the jars were wet....... 


But as already said, the bit beneath is edible 

[Li]

Thank you all i sterilise all the jars and lids and also kettle boiled water  just before i pour jam omg i didn't realise you could eat the rest of the jam i really didn't like the thought of eating it  so it all went in the bin nothing lost as i have 40 jars still in storage made another 7 last night with blackberries and apple  will have to get on eating it but only me who eats jam  and on slimming world can'teat a jar at once xx

[compostqueen]

   I got some lemon curd from a fete which had a bit of mould on the paper but it was fine otherwise. I've had my dried chillies go mouldy on me but it's difficult to say what one thing has caused it as it could be one or a combination of things.  All is not lost though so don't give up on your jam making as it's so rewarding as the results are so lush. Usually 

[GrannieAnnie]

Theoretically you are not supposed to eat jam from a jar that's had mould on it, something to do with the spores gradaully infecting the rest of the jar before you notice it?

But I like the others have said, do just scrape off the mouldy bits, wipe the rim and eat the rest!  I'm not dead yet!   

[compostqueen]

Me neither 

Seriously though (hark at me)  You do have to be careful though folks and sterilising lids, jars etc is very important not just from a hygiene point of view but no-one wants their fab jams and preserves going off when you've worked hard to grow and process it.  You'd be gutted

[Mrs Bee]

You could remove the mould and reboil and repot the jam.

In my WI jam making book it does say that you should not use waxed papers and a lid because it can cause mould.

A jam making DVD I watched recently said that you should always fill the jars to the top when jam is  hot, whack the lids on fast and invert the jar for the jam to cover the inside of the lid and set the jars the correct way up again.

I buy jam jar lids to use with my recycled jars. They aren't very expensive.

[mumofstig]

When I think about it mum, and I, only ever used wax discs with cellophane  jam pot covers, not with lids 

Just use lids now 

[GrannieAnnie]

Come to think of it, I had some blackcurrant and apple jam that I made last year most of which started to go mouldy, so I took all the mould off, cleaned the tops of the jars, and made it all into wine! lol

The wine was much better than the jam anyway!   

[Mrs Bee]

When I think about it mum, and I, only ever used wax discs with cellophane  jam pot covers, not with lids 

Just use lids now 

I started with just the cellophane tops and waxed discs too. Until a ..........y mouse nibbled its way in i also found that some of the jams shrank in the jars with keeping.

[Madame Cholet]

I love laying in bed after making jam listening to the lids popping I have an exciting life

[mumofstig]

that sounds like me with the passata the other night 

[Li]

Thank you every1 for all your replies I certainly won't give up on the jam making have too much fruit on the lotty i put it down to the fruit well that's my answer  :tongue2:anyway as all is is ok xx