[Sca-cooks] Pickled turnips!

[Ruth Tannahill]

> I bought a jar of Middle-Easter pickled turnips today.They're pickled
> with vinegar, salt, pepper, and some beetroot.  When I opened the jar,
> there was the "pop" of the seal breaking, then the liquid began to
> fizz.  There was no residue, no funny smell, just lots of little bubbles
> rising to the top, as if it were a glass of soda.  Is this normal?  Safe
> to consume?


Sounds like they "worked"--sugars converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide in 
an anaerobic environment, until the yeast died. But why risk botulism? That 
thrives in an anaerobic environment, too.

The instructions on my canner recommend throwing away any food that has 
pressurized after canning, has a leaky seal, or has developed signs of 
contamination (look for a ring around the glass jar where at the liquid 
level). I know commercial canning is different, but I wouldn't chance it.

Berelinde