What to do to prevent mold from appearing on cucumbers

White coating on pickles - mold or not

Subject to preservation technology and storage rules, pickled cucumbers should not spoil . If a white coating appears on them, this is normal and should not be a concern. But it is possible that mold has formed on the cucumbers and they have changed their properties - then by eating such a product, you are risking your health. There are a number of signs by which you can determine how hopelessly damaged the workpieces are.

First you need to know exactly what recipe the cucumbers were prepared according to . If without adding vinegar or a similar preservative, without acid, only with salt, then the cloudiness of the brine and the appearance of a white coating is a natural process of formation of lactic acid. Subsequently, the cloudy sediment sinks to the bottom, and the brine becomes more transparent.

In what cases is it botulism?

Botulism is a serious disease that is caused by putrefactive fungi that produce a toxic substance, botulinum toxin, that is fatal to humans. The main danger of this toxin is that its presence in homemade preparations cannot be determined by color, smell or taste.

Bacteria are not destroyed by most conventional disinfection methods ; they can develop in an airless environment, in hermetically sealed jars. They are not killed by adding table vinegar or table salt to canned food. It is very difficult to get rid of botulinum spores at home.

Preventive measures include maintaining cleanliness during preparation.

The only way to protect yourself is heat treatment . When canning, this means thoroughly boiling the jars and lids; after opening the jars, they are heated in boiling water for up to 30 minutes to destroy the toxin.

In what cases is it lactic acid?

The white coating that appears on pickled and canned vegetables is lactic acid bacteria, a fermentation product. The presence of these bacteria indicates that fermentation processes are underway .

Fermented foods are a source of natural probiotics . Lactic acid bacteria help fight the development of pathogenic microflora in the intestines. If the cucumbers have not changed their smell and remain hard to the touch, wash off the white coating and eat the vegetables.

But if the appearance of plaque is accompanied by swelling of the jar , an unpleasant odor when opening and softening of the products, this is an alarming sign. These cucumbers should not be eaten.

Why does a white coating form on pickled cucumbers and is it dangerous?

The white coating that appears on fermented products when all preservation rules and recommendations are followed is lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria inhibit the development of pathogenic flora in the intestines.

Fermented and canned foods are a source of natural probiotics. Probiotics are needed by the body to improve intestinal function, help stimulate the secretion of gastric juice, eliminate the causes of constipation and diarrhea, strengthen the immune system, increase the resistance of the intestinal mucous membranes to various irritants, and reduce the level of allergic reactions.

Delicious recipe! Oatmeal buns recipe

But if the canning and pickling technology is violated (for example, the cucumbers were not completely covered with brine or air got into the jar), a white coating may indicate that the product is spoiled. An additional indicator of a missing product may be softening of the products, the lid of the jar is swollen, and when opening the jar, the brine has an unpleasant odor.

In this case, along with spoiled fermented products, not beneficial microorganisms enter the body, but aggressive bacteria and putrefactive yeast fungi. What to do if a white coating has formed on pickles. At the same time, an unpleasant odor is heard from the can, which is not typical for preservation. The answer is clear - throw it away. The preserved food is spoiled and should under no circumstances be eaten.

Cucumbers infected with helminthic fungi can cause such a dangerous disease as botulism. Thus, the development of this disease is facilitated by botulinum toxin, which can appear in anaerobic conditions (without air). But more often, botulism bacteria are found in canned mushrooms, meat and fish, although their presence in cucumbers is also possible.

When can cucumbers be saved?

Before you throw away your pickles, you should first find out if they can be saved.

How to determine the suitability of cucumbers for consumption

Workpieces that retain the following characteristics remain suitable::

• little mold;
• cucumbers are strong, elastic, not soft;
• The smell of brine is natural, not putrid.

In this case, after some actions, you can continue storage.

What to do with these cucumbers

The mold is removed, the vegetables are washed from plaque, placed in a clean, sterilized jar and filled with new brine. After this, put it in a cool place.

If cucumbers are stored in a barrel or other large container (pan, bucket), you can rinse or throw away only those that were in the top layer. Then add fresh brine and add mustard powder.

Is botulism possible in pickled cucumbers?

Every housewife has a recipe for pickled cucumbers. These cucumbers are also called barrel cucumbers. This name arose for a reason, because previously, cucumbers were preserved in barrels.

This traditional method of preparation has its advantages, namely the fact that when consuming real barrel cucumbers, the possibility of infection is eliminated. There are no anaerobic conditions in the barrels during the canning process, which implies access to air inside.

Read also: Hydrogen sulfide poisoning: symptoms, first aid and treatment

When airtight metal lids and glass jars began to be used for preservation, everything changed. The possibility of contracting botulism has greatly increased as such conditions allow the toxin to be produced. The probability increases with poor-quality cleansing of products from soil.

Causes of mold on pickled cucumbers

The main reason for damage to homemade products is violation of preservation technology or failure to maintain cleanliness . All products used must be thoroughly washed, jars and lids sterilized. Any dirt that gets inside can trigger the process of putrefactive fermentation and mold formation.

Violation of the recipe and the use of inappropriate ingredients may also be the cause . Salad cucumbers are not intended for long-term storage and are not suitable for canning; you need to choose special varieties for pickling. Carefully ensure that the vegetables are fresh and without signs of rot.

Attention! It is not recommended to use iodized salt instead of table salt.

The cause of spoilage of the products may be a lack of salt, as well as non-compliance with storage rules .

Why do cucumbers in jars become cloudy: the most common reasons

Very often during preservation a problem arises - the brine in cucumbers becomes cloudy. And many questions immediately arise: what caused the process, how to avoid this in the future, and is it possible to use such a product?

Let's answer the last question first. To do this, we need to decide on the recipe, or more precisely, find out whether vinegar or similar substances were used during preservation. If no acid was used, the brine should become cloudy within a few days. This occurs due to the formation of lactic acid, the same one that also contributes to the ripening of cabbage. Thus, without vinegar, you get pickled cucumbers in a slightly cloudy brine. After a while, the white sediment sinks to the bottom and the liquid becomes more transparent. You can eat such cucumbers, but you only need to store them in the refrigerator.

And a completely different answer to the question why pickled cucumbers or those preserved with vinegar or another similar preservative become cloudy. Such a product must contain crystal clear brine, and white turbidity indicates a violation of the technology.

An important point: if you do not know the original recipe or cannot distinguish the formation of lactic acid from the appearance of mold, which at the initial stage looks about the same, then you should not eat cucumbers in cloudy brine.

So, let's try to determine why cucumbers in jars become cloudy. As mentioned above, the reason for such a process may be a violation of technology. First of all, this concerns cleanliness. When preserving, it is necessary to ensure that all products are thoroughly washed. Not only cucumbers, but also bird cherry leaves and cherries (they are added for pungency), garlic, horseradish root, etc. Jars and lids must be sterilized, like some other items that you will use. Even a not completely clean spoon can be the impetus that starts the fermentation process. Another reason why cucumbers in jars become cloudy may be the use of inappropriate ingredients or deviation from the recipe. For example, a typical mistake is to use iodized salt instead of regular table salt. Or use salad varieties of cucumbers, which, in principle, are not intended for long-term storage. The brine may also become cloudy due to a lack of vinegar or inappropriate storage conditions - cucumbers must be kept in a cool place, cellar or refrigerator.

So, we have determined why cucumbers in jars become cloudy. Now let’s try to understand how to fix the problem that has already arisen. To begin with, let us explain that this is only permissible if the clouding was noticed immediately, within several days. Then you can drain the brine, boil it, add a little vinegar (that is, make it stronger) and refill the jars. Lids must be used new, sterilized. Very often, a similar procedure is done with pickled cucumbers - the first cloudy brine is drained, brought to a boil and refilled.

We hope that after reading this article you will no longer be tormented by the question of why cucumbers in jars become cloudy, and the brine in all preparations will remain clean and transparent.

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How to properly pickle and seal cucumbers to prevent mold from appearing on them

There are two ways to pickle cucumbers: hot and cold . In the first case, they are filled with hot brine, rolled up with iron lids, after which the jars are stored at room temperature. In the second, they are filled with cold water, covered with nylon lids and stored in the refrigerator or cellar.

Advice. To prevent white plaque or mold from appearing, when salting, add dry mustard and place horseradish root or raspberry leaves on top.

Before spinning the cucumbers, the jars are sterilized.:

• potassium permanganate solution;
• ferry;
• by boiling;
• in the microwave;
• in an electric oven.

Before sterilization, make sure that the jars and lids are intact : there are no chips on the glass, the iron lids are not deformed. Before the procedure, wash them with laundry soap.

If mold appears in a jar of cucumbers

It happens that you spend a lot of time and effort on pickling cucumbers, and after a few weeks or months you discover that they have spoiled. The brine became cloudy and mold appeared on its surface. How to distinguish dangerous mold from harmless plaque? Next, we will talk about this, and also reveal the secrets of how to prepare and store cucumbers so that mold does not appear on them in the future.

in what cases is it lactic acid

the white coating that appears on pickled and canned vegetables is lactic acid bacteria, a fermentation product. the presence of these bacteria indicates that fermentation processes are underway .

fermented foods are a source of natural probiotics . Lactic acid bacteria help fight the development of pathogenic microflora in the intestines. If the cucumbers have not changed their smell and remain hard to the touch, wash off the white coating and eat the vegetables.

but if the appearance of plaque is accompanied by swelling of the jar , an unpleasant odor when opening and softening of the products, this is an alarming sign. You can't eat these cucumbers.

when can cucumbers be saved?

Before you throw away your pickles, you should first find out if they can be saved.

Rules for storing pickled cucumbers

Jars with blanks are kept in a cool, dark place. Barrel pickles are stored at a temperature of about 0°C, observing the following conditions :

• the brine completely covers the cucumbers;
• they are under oppression;
• the temperature is constant, without sudden changes.

Sometimes pickles are stored frozen . To do this, they are removed from the brine, excess moisture is removed, portioned into containers or bags and placed in the freezer. Afterwards it is better to subject them to heat treatment - add them to hodgepodge, rassolnik or pizza.

Barrel pickles can be stored in containers after washing them, drying them and sprinkling each layer with mustard powder.

Is it possible to eat pickles if they have mold on them?

Mold looks like spots or islands on the surface of the brine and can cover the entire space under the lid of the jar with a cap. It appears as a result of ingestion of contamination or infection.

If at the same time the jar swells, the cucumbers become soft, slippery, and smell bad - throw them away without hesitation: they can seriously poison you. Moldy foods should not be eaten.

Botulism or lactic acid?

Botulism is a disease caused by fungi. Microorganisms secrete botulinum toxin. The substance is dangerous because when preserved it cannot be identified either by smell or taste. Bacteria multiply even in a vacuum and complete sealing. Preventive measures consist only of maintaining cleanliness and hygiene during preparation. It is important to boil lids and jars thoroughly.

The white coating that appears on vegetables in jars is lactic acid bacteria. Essentially, it is the result of fermentation and fermentation.

If canned vegetables have not changed their taste, they remain hard, then the plaque can be washed off and eaten. A container of vegetables is thrown away if:

• the banks are swollen;
• the cucumbers have softened;
• a lot of white plaque;
• there is a sharp putrid smell.

Mold on pickles.
Photo used from the site tehnoyug.com You can eat cucumbers for:

• a small amount of mold;
• strong and elastic fruits of natural color;
• pleasant smell of brine liquid.

Natural plaque. Photo used from the site zakruti.com

Reasons for cloudiness of cucumbers in jars

There may be several explanations for such strange behavior of salted or pickled vegetables, and each one is fraught with a separate reason. It happens that the solution, along with the cucumbers, simply turns white and nothing else happens. It is believed that nothing happens by itself, which means we need to look for the root causes of such strange phenomena.

They are most often the following:

1. The cucumbers were not washed well enough; small particles of debris and soil remained on them, which, being in a confined space, led to fermentation. This also includes contamination that gets in with spices for preservation.
2. The problem is with the jars: they were dirty or synthetic products were used to wash them (usually it is recommended to use chemically neutral and harmless baking soda).
3. Instead of ordinary table salt, sea or iodized salt was used - they contain components that cause gradual clouding of the brine.
4. Poor sterilization of jars and lids, not only empty ones, but also at the final stage, when processing is performed before sealing.
5. Low-quality lids, chips or cracks in the neck - all this leads to air getting inside and inevitable fermentation.

Are cucumbers with cloudy brine edible?

It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, since there is always, albeit tiny, the possibility that botulism bacilli accidentally got into a jar of pickled or pickled cucumbers, lovingly prepared for long-term storage.

At a minimum, those who consume the “playing” product are at risk of indigestion, or even serious poisoning. Therefore, a simple method of recognizing the severity of the problem is usually used, so that you can then decide whether the game is worth the candle.

Example 1. When catastrophic changes in the color of the brine or marinade are detected within 2-3 days after seaming, sometimes it is advisable to try to correct the situation. As practice shows, the solution becomes cloudy if lactic acid fermentation occurs in it (which in itself is not so scary), but the process cannot be stabilized due to the lack (complete absence) of an important component - vinegar.

If, moreover, the lid is not swollen, then we can safely recommend a simple solution: open the jar and pour the brine out of it.

Then there are 2 ways - use the “old” brine or prepare fresh one. In any case, without removing them from the container, rinse the cucumbers with boiling water, leave for 5 minutes, then proceed to the solution. The new (remaining) brine is brought to a boil, the vegetables are poured into the jar, vinegar is added according to the dosage, after which it is sterilized and rolled up.

Example 2. If the solution becomes cloudy without deformation of the lid, such cucumbers, in most cases, are quite edible. You just have to transfer the jars with them to the refrigerator and observe for 7-10 days. Most often, after the specified time, all the sediment will be at the bottom, and the contents will again become transparent. Sometimes such “incorrectly pickled” cucumbers are successfully used for pickle or vinaigrette, where their taste will not harm other ingredients.

Example 3. Both signs of fermentation are present - cloudy brine and a swollen lid. In this case, eating cucumbers is strictly not recommended, since there is a high risk of pathogenic bacteria entering the brine. You can, of course, take a risk, but the result will be unpredictable. And the human life of the owner and her loved ones is at stake.

What precautions should you take?

To reduce the likelihood of botulism occurring, certain measures must be taken:

• all utensils and products need to be thoroughly washed before canning,
• any chosen recipe should be strictly followed, and all specified proportions of ingredients should be carefully observed,
• the selected products must be properly processed thermally,
• never use products that have been stored for a long time, or have spoiled, or become moldy,
• It is recommended to store the prepared preserves in a dark place, and also to observe a certain temperature regime - 4-15 ° C,
• Before canning, you should heat the food for about 20 minutes,
• before canning, jars also need boiling (sterilization) - for half an hour,
• It is necessary to add a neutralizer of toxic substances - vinegar,
• It is strictly not recommended to purchase canned food prepared at home, since it is not known whether all preparation rules have been followed.

You should also note some recommendations for preparation and storage. It is recommended not to use a hermetically sealed seal, and to use plastic lids instead of metal ones. In this case, the occurrence of botulism is excluded, but the shelf life is reduced.

For storage, you should choose the place wisely: it is better to store in a cellar or refrigerator. It is strictly not recommended to store in warm places. Before opening any can, a thorough inspection is necessary. Swollen lids indicate the presence of not only botulism, but also the presence of other dangerous microorganisms.

Read also: Acute intestinal infection: routes of transmission, diagnosis, treatment

Also, open jars of cucumbers should not be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. It should always be remembered that the safety of products cannot be guaranteed by their normal appearance.

So, pickled and pickled cucumbers may contain botulism, which means that you need to be careful when consuming this delicious snack. Health is more valuable than discarded food with the first signs of bacteria. The main thing is to observe precautions, correct preparation, storage and consult a doctor at the first symptoms.

How to revive cloudy preserves

There is no universal solution to the problem; sometimes it is easier to prepare something anew than to fix it. Simply put, throw away spoiled products and then carefully follow the technology. To begin with, time is important: the sooner signs of fermentation are detected, the better. Then they notice whether the shape of the lids has changed (whether swelling has appeared).

If not, then the chances of success increase: you can try to pour out the solution, rinse or sterilize the cucumbers, and then fill them with fresh solution. Most often this works: pour boiling water over the vegetables directly in the jar, let them sit for a few minutes, pour out the liquid, then fill the container with freshly prepared solution.

Be sure to add vinegar, after which it is preserved as usual: sterilization, seaming, keeping it upside down for 24 hours. This is how you can redo unsuccessful salting.

You should be prepared for the fact that the taste of such cucumbers will be slightly different from the classic one, so experienced housewives use “spoiled” jars for preparing soups or stewing vegetables.

Manipulations with fermented cucumbers should be undertaken if there are no signs of rapid development of bacteria (blowing of the lid). In any case, there is a small chance of food poisoning from consuming improperly processed canned goods.

Why mold might appear on pickles and what to do about it

If the jar of cucumbers becomes cloudy and the lid is swollen, then the fermentation process has begun and the cucumbers will taste sour. Or the brine clears on its own, and a white precipitate falls to the bottom. And in this case, the taste of cucumbers will change, not for the better. Why this happens:

☑️ Cucumbers are poorly washed. Dirt or debris got into the jar during salting. Most often this happens if you do not soak the cucumbers before pickling, but simply rinse them. It is difficult to examine each cucumber for cleanliness; dry soil can remain in unnoticeable holes on the vegetable, and, as is known, bacteria live in the soil. These bacteria created the fermentation in the jar.

☑️ We added a lot of spices and herbs - this can also provoke the appearance of cloudy sediment in the seams.

☑️ The jars were filled too tightly with cucumbers. Do not try to pack the vegetables as tightly as possible and right up to the neck; give them plenty of free space for pickling and salting.

☑️ Spicy herbs, seasonings, horseradish leaves, dill branches and so on were poorly washed; they can also contain dust and dirt, just like the cucumbers themselves.

☑️ Air got into the jar when rolling. The lid was not closed tightly. It might not have stood up straight when rolling, or the rubber sealing ring might have broken. The slightest hole will lead to damage to the product. Turn the jars over for a while and inspect them before storing them; if there are any leaks, close the jar again.

☑️ Little or no jars and lids were sterilized.

☑️ We chose a variety of cucumbers that is not suitable for pickling. Salad cucumbers are not pickled.

☑️ Didn't follow the recipe.

☑️ We bought cucumbers with nitrates. It is better to can your own vegetables or buy them from summer residents and rural residents. They grow their own vegetables and are unlikely to add nitrates. Cucumbers should be purchased at the height of the season, at the end of June and July. The fruits should be medium in size, dark green (depending on the variety, they can be light in color), dense, and crispy.

☑️ We added sea or iodized salt to canned cucumbers instead of regular salt.

☑️ You need to pour boiling water over the cucumbers twice. They poured boiling water - drained it, put the water on the fire, when it boils, pour it in again, drain it and only then put the marinade on the fire, when it boils, pour it into the cucumbers, and roll up the jar. This, of course, lengthens the marinating process, but provides more guarantees that the jars will not become cloudy.

☑️ Oddly enough, sometimes cucumbers become cloudy due to garlic, they especially don’t like Chinese (the one that turns green or blue in marinades)

ingredients for 30 servings or - the number of products for the servings you need will be calculated automatically!'>

Total:

Cooking time: 5 d 30 min

With a bow

Many people know the ability of onions to neutralize other foods. In this situation, this property will be very useful to us.

Take 1-2 onions, chop them into thin half-rings, put them together with pickles and put them in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours, depending on the degree of the problem.

How to save pickled cucumbers if a white coating appears on them

Pickles do not last long in an open jar.

If the brine has become cloudy and no more than 2-3 days have passed, then you can still save the situation:

1. Drain the cloudy brine and rinse the cucumbers with boiled water.
2. The lid and jar need to be sterilized again.
3. Make the brine (the same as you did if the recipe is correct).
4. Add spices and seasonings, as the ones used have already given off their taste and aroma.
5. Pour brine over the vegetables and roll up.

Is it possible to eat cloudy cucumbers?

To answer the question - is it possible to eat cloudy cucumbers - you should open the jar and look: is there a pungent smell, a coating on the fruits, what is wrong with the shape of the vegetables, maybe they have become sour, turned into mush, and the brine in the cucumbers stretches like jelly. Then the question disappears by itself. If the jar initially had a bulging lid and the pickles have fermented, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bconsuming such a product as food, there is no point in taking risks.

If the fruits have good density and the brine in the jar was only slightly cloudy, then after heat treatment, for example when preparing soup, they can be eaten.

Why cans with foam?

Foam in the jar is a sure sign of the beginning fermentation process. If the hostess saw these changes immediately, the seams can still be saved.

Why do jars of cucumbers foam?

• jars and cucumbers with spices are poorly washed;
• poor quality sterilization;
• air got into the middle of the can.

To save cucumbers, you should open the jar, remove the cucumbers and drain the brine. Re-subject the jars to the sterilization process. Boil the brine and pour it over the cucumbers placed in sterilized jars. Roll up thoroughly.

Why is there mold in jars?

The appearance of mold in jars should alert the housewife. If at the same time a strong smell of fermentation appears, the cucumbers become very soft, and the lid is very swollen, then it is better not to resuscitate such seaming. A microbe that causes botulism can develop in such a jar. This infectious disease can cause paralysis. There have also been deaths with this diagnosis.

Why did mold appear in jars? This could all be due to poor sterility or lack of salt (vinegar) in the recipe. Incorrect preservation technology can also cause this result.

Over-salted vegetables, cereals, and pasta can be rinsed under running water or refilled with water, bring to a boil and let stand for a couple of minutes until the water absorbs excess salt from the food.

Sugar

A simple method that will help housewives if they have not over-salted the cucumbers. Pour a couple of tablespoons of salt into the jar, stir and put it back in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

The time can be increased.

Pixabay

An over-salted dish of meat, fish, or too salty sauce can be saved by adding an acidic product - citric acid, vinegar or mustard. However, be careful - add acid drop by drop so as not to completely spoil the dish, which has already been spoiled by salt.

Mistake No. 9. Not turning the jar over

After rolling, the jars need to be turned over and allowed to cool in this state. This is done so that the rubber rim under the lid heats up, softens and presses as tightly as possible to the glass of the jar. Then not a drop of air will get under the lid, and the canned food will be stored well and for a long time.

Ways to prevent the appearance of “suspicious” sediment

There are not many of them, but they exist. Firstly, it is a thorough processing of vegetables before preservation: removing tails, damaged areas, cleaning from dirt (many experienced housewives soak cucumbers for several hours before pickling, then rinse thoroughly again).

Secondly, these are clean jars washed with soda without traces of food, debris, detergents, as well as new (not reused!) sealing lids without damage, deformation, with rubber bands in good condition. This category also includes the absence of visible and tangible damage to the neck of the glass container, cracks, chips, and casting defects.

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White coating is not always an indicator of mold, but may be the result of fermentation. Determining whether it is mold or lactic acid is very simple. If you pickle vegetables without vinegar, and use only salt and water, then the white coating is nothing more than acid and after washing it off , you can enjoy delicious crispy cucumbers. However, let us dwell on the situation when mold occurs on canned cucumbers.

Why does a white coating form on pickled cucumbers and is it dangerous?

The reason for the formation of mold can be: lack of tightness, poorly sterilized containers and lids, and failure to comply with the proportions in the recipe. And even “wrong” cucumbers.

Of course, moldy, sour cucumbers cannot be eaten! Their taste and smell are unpleasant, they become soft and unsuitable for consumption. The appearance of mold and cloudy brine means that bacteria have entered the workpiece and have begun to multiply. Such cucumbers must be thrown away; you should not risk your health.

How to save pickled cucumbers if a white coating appears on them

Pickles do not last long in an open jar.

If the brine has become cloudy and no more than 2-3 days have passed, then you can still save the situation:

1. Drain the cloudy brine and rinse the cucumbers with boiled water.
2. The lid and jar need to be sterilized again.
3. Make the brine (the same as you did if the recipe is correct).
4. Add spices and seasonings, as the ones used have already given off their taste and aroma.
5. Pour brine over the vegetables and roll up.

How to save pickled cucumbers if a white coating appears on them

If you find a white coating on pickled cucumbers, you should not immediately regret the spoiled product. First you need to determine the nature of this plaque, that is, find out whether it is mold or lactic acid.

The formation of lactic acid during salting is a completely normal process. If you plan to store the cucumbers in brine for some time, it is recommended to rinse them under running water, put them in a clean jar and fill them with fresh brine. If homemade pickling is stored in a large container (barrel), then you can limit yourself to washing only the top row of cucumbers.

To combat white rot when opening a jar of cucumbers, it is recommended to add mustard powder or mustard seeds to the fresh brine. This prevents plaque formation and makes the cucumbers crispier. The brine may become a little cloudy, but this will not affect the taste of the product. For the same purpose, horseradish root is placed in a jar, and the top is covered with horseradish leaves.

How to properly sterilize jars and lids before screwing

Improper sterilization leads to spoiled workpieces.

All components and ingredients must be clean so that microorganisms do not get into the preparation for the winter:

1. Check jars and lids for chips and scratches.
2. Prepare all ingredients thoroughly.
3. Sterilization time depends on the size of the container: 1–2 liter jars are exposed to steam for 10–15 minutes. A three-liter bottle takes 20–25 minutes.
4. Allow sterilized jars and lids to dry.

How to sterilize jars and lids correctly

To prevent the preservation from deteriorating during storage and to prevent the cucumbers from becoming covered with a white coating, you should approach the issue of sterilizing jars and lids responsibly. This can be achieved in several ways:

• Using steam;
• Boiling;
• In an electric oven;
• Microwave;
• Using potassium permanganate.

Before the sterilization process, you should ensure the integrity of the jars and lids. The necks of the jars should be without a single chip, and the lids should in no case be bent. The jars should be thoroughly washed with laundry soap or soda.

Steam sterilization is carried out using a pan of boiling water and a rack for jars, which are installed with the neck down. You can immediately put the lids in the same boiling water. The jar has achieved sterility when large drops of moisture appear on its inner surface. You can put food in a jar only after it has completely dried.

When boiling, the jars should be completely covered with water in the pan. This method is convenient for small jars. The water with the jars should be heated gradually so that they do not burst. The jars are considered sterile after boiling for 5 minutes.

In an electric oven (oven) you can sterilize many jars at once. Place the washed jars in the oven, neck down, and set the temperature to 120 degrees for 12 minutes.

You can do it in a microwave in a shorter time, but it only holds one 3-liter jar or several half-liter jars. You need to pour a little water (1.5-2 cm) into each jar. With a power of 800 kW, it is enough to hold the cans for about 3 minutes and you can remove them.

In order not to deal with high temperatures, you can simply rinse clean jars with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. This will completely disinfect the inside surface of the jars.

Delicious recipe! Squash caviar with apple cider vinegar

Features of storing pickled cucumbers

After you have made the twists and checked for leaks, turn them over and place them on the lid for a more complete fit. To increase the heat treatment time, the preservation is wrapped and left to cool gradually. After a day or two, the workpieces should be placed in a cool, dark place. The ideal option is a cellar.

There are several effective folk methods for extending the “life” of conservation, guaranteeing the absence of mold.

They say that mold will not appear if you add:

1. Mustard powder. Place mustard plaster under the lid (you can place mustard powder in a piece of fabric) and close.
2. Black peppercorns. Place the pepper in the bag in the brine.
3. Adding a teaspoon of mustard powder or peppercorns directly to the brine will also extend the shelf life.
4. The optimal temperature for storage is from –1°С to +1°С. The higher the temperature, the faster bacteria develop and the cucumbers become unusable.

Video: To prevent pickles from molding

To summarize, we can summarize - to prevent your cucumbers from becoming moldy, you need to follow the canning rules and shelf life. White plaque is formed as a result of the activity of microorganisms.

• Author: Maria Sukhorukikh
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2. 4
3. 3
4. 2
5. 1

(1 vote, average: 4 out of 5)

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