I pressure canned some spaghetti sauce (with ground meat) a few months ago and just noticed the cans have started to get white fuzzy mold on the outside of the jars. Seals are still intact. I’m guessing I just didn’t clean the outside of the jars well enough before storing. Safe to wash the outsides and eat?
by triceratopspoop
3 Comments
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If it was canned following approved methods and the seal is intact, it is safe. You are right on the money about cleaning the outside. Trace amounts of nutrients from canning and a cool dark storage place can encourage mold growth on the outside of the jar.
While canning, some of the contents can seep out, known as siphoning. This is actually what you want due to the pressure changes and why we put the rings on “finger tight”. If you don’t wash the jars carefully before putting them away some residue can be left on the outside of the jar and can grow mold just like a meatball that rolled under the couch. The contents will be unaffected as long as the seal is good.