Never use tomatoes or tomato juices with off-odors. The jar lid may still be sealed and the product may appear normal, but the tomatoes will smell sour because of lactic acid produced by the growth of B. One of the common spoilage organisms, Bacillus coagulans, is very heat resistant and causes flat-sour spoilage. Tomatoes that have not been processed long enough to destroy molds and heat-resistant bacteria may spoil during storage. The most common reasons for spoilage in home-canned tomato products are underprocessing and incomplete seals. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart can be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. Add sugar to offset the taste, if desired. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. For pints, use 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes, add lemon juice or citric acid when processing in a boiling water bath. Decayed and damaged tomatoes and those harvested from frost-killed or dead vines should not be home canned. Also, tomatoes attached to dead vines at harvest are considerably less acidic than tomatoes harvested from healthy vines. Tomatoes grown in the shade, ripened in shorter hours of daylight, or ripened off the vine tend to be lower in acidity than those ripened in direct sunlight on the vine. These include decay or damage caused by bruises, cracks, blossom end rot or insects, and overripening. Research has found several conditions that can reduce the acidity of tomatoes. When this happens, the product must be canned in a pressure canner as a low-acid product or acidified to a pH of 4.6 or lower with lemon juice or citric acid. Tomato AcidityĪlthough tomatoes are considered a high-acid food (pH below 4.6), certain conditions and varieties can produce tomatoes and tomato products with pH values above 4.6. The canning processes recommended in this fact sheet are the result of USDA research on safe home-canning procedures for tomatoes and tomato products. They also are one of the most commonly spoiled home-canned products. Tomatoes are the most widely homecanned product in the United States. Frozen tomatoes and tomato products do not need added acid. Freezing is a safe, easy alternative to home canning.For pints, add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes, add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes.Select disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm tomatoes for canning.
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