Subject - Apple sauce underprocessed
QUESTION - An individual called yesterday with the story that she had canned applesauce without the benefit of processing in a boiling waterbath. She had taken the very hot applesauce and put it in hot jars, sealed it with hot lids and turned them up-side down. Is it OK to keep the product?
ANSWER - By not heating the filled jars as indicated in the USDA canning guide (http://www.foodsafety.org/canhome.htm) there is a risk that spoilage organisms (molds, yeasts, bacteria) are not adequately destroyed. Since we can't assume that all jars were identically filled with boiling applesauce (the last jar filled may be quite cool compared to the first ones) then the hot fill, turn upside down procedure may be inadequate.
