botulism....

[Nicos]

OK- so I put some pears in Le Parfait jars with fresh apple juice.

4 months later- the bits poking out of the top have gone brown- but the rest look fine.

Nope- I didn't heat them

I did what I did last year with sterilized apple juice- and we were fine.
Now I'm getting a bit worried that this batch might not be safe.
Other than eating them and being v ill...is there any way of knowing there is a problem???

I would certainly cook them thoroughly before eating- would that work???
( I have 7 large jars packed full of these pears in fresh apple juice!)

[pigletwillie]

Give a bit to your hubby and see what happens

[SarzWix]

Eeeeek
I can't think of any 'safe' way of testing them
If you did something with boiling sugar would that get hot enough to kill any botulism?
I haven't got my books handy to check the required temps...

[Rossa]

Can't say I've ever heard of botulism in fruit, but that's not to say it's not possible.

I think the bits sticking out at the top have just oxidised in the air gap between the top of the liquid and the top on the jar. Even if you sterilised the jar and used sterilised apple juice, the air will affect whatever "floats" about the juice. So all you should need to do is cut off that bit before eating or cooking.

Saying that if it spreads, then use them up as soon as you can. Anything left in water for a time like peeled spuds, apple etc will oxidise in time, which is why you read in recipes to put peeled apples into water with a bit of lemon juice added or brush a bit of lemon juice on a cut face of an avocado to stop it going brown.

[Nicos]

Oh ..erm...still really no wiser!!!

Not been here for a few days cos I've got family visiting
...not yet poisoned- so don't worry- will try it out when they have gone!