Expert: Carol Schlitt - 9/9/2007

Question
QUESTION: I now live overseas. they pickle tomatoes here, but do not can them plain. so i decided to can my own for soups and chili like i used to do years ago in america. I had never put lemon juice or citric acid in mine and didn't in these. how can i know if my canned tom are safe? also is it safe to eliminate the salt?

ANSWER: Hi Mary Ellen,

The recommendation to add lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid is designed to ensure that the pH of the mixture is well below 4.6 -- the dividing line between foods that can be canned in a hot water bath and those that must be done in a pressure canner.  Some tomatoes hover right around 4.6 so to be on the safe side, it is recommended to add acid to push the pH back down into the safe hot water bath canning range.

Salt is purely optional.

Carol

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: my original question was if there was a way to tell if all of my tomatoes that I have canned are safe to eat... can I tell by color, smell or any other way? All of those jars represent a lot of work and of course money too... don't want to throw them out if they are good, but of course don't want to risk our lives if that is the case.

Answer
Hi Mary Ellen,

Unfortunately, in the early stages of botulism there are no tell-tell signs.  The tomatoes can look great, taste great and smell great. If you ever notice bubbling, loose seals -- do not eat the tomatoes.

If your tomatoes look like the day they were canned -- then they are safe to consume.  However, without following research-based recipes (that include acid) I can not give a 100% guarantee of safety.  Use your best judgement and do not consume any tomatoes that are not sealed, have off odors, color or are bubbling.  That is a sure sign of food borne illness-causing bacteria.

Carol