I chopped a big pot of tomatoes to can some salsa, but was interupted for a half a day, and despite being chilled they started to ferment. Don't smell bad, but would they be dangerous to can at this point? Even after cooking them a while?

-- Rod Perrino (redjouster@aol.com), September 20, 2000

Answers

Fermented? In half a day? Something is wrong. As far as I know, the yeast that would cause fermentation isn't harmful, but how it got in and got going so fast makes me leery. What else got in and going? I'd prefer to pitch them out if I could. If you decide to go ahead and can them, make sure EVERYthing is spotlessly clean. Sterilize your jars. Follow proper canning procedures exactly. Make sure you put some vinegar or lemon juice in every jar. Make sure you boil the salsa this winter before you eat it.

Wish I could give you some tomatoes-I'll be pitching them by the bushel basketful to the sheep in a couple of days. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 20, 2000.

I think I'd pitch them.

However -- it would depend on what you mean by "chilled" -- did you put the pot in the fridge? If so, they would still be fine. Define "fermented"??? I don't think there is any possible way that they could have fermented in the true sense in that time -- but if they smell funny, or are bubbling, or something, chuck them.

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), September 20, 2000.

Maybe you could make some tomato wine?

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), September 20, 2000.

I have a cookbook that tells me to ferment tomatoes for 7 days, strain the resulting mess, semi-dry it, form it into balls & preserve it in olive oil - used to be an old pre-everthing way of preservation

-- Judy Genereux (thistle_farm@hotmail.com), September 20, 2000.

tomato wine is that anything tomayo ice cream? Bob in s.e.ks.

-- Bob condry (bobco@hit.net), September 20, 2000.

You can still use them (we have had that happen and my neighbor actually does it on purpose!!) BUT it will probably taste yuck soon ... won't kill you but won't enhance your favorite dish with salsa either!!

-- kelly (kellytree@hotmail.com), September 21, 2000.