Dazed and confused

[wordwiz]

Following up on the explosion in the kitchen thread:

I used my pH tester to see what the levels of the juice I am preserving is. Now maybe it is whacked out and unreliable but the yellow juice read 4.9. The red juice read 5.2. This was before anything other than salt (which should not matter, but the same percentage was added to both batches) was included.

Until someone offers a better explanation, I'm going with the idea that an alien life force (probably related to Iggy) took up residence in one or more of the cells of the juice. It survived being boiled but once bottled, needed some kind of gas (oxygen) to survive and started converting the water and pulp to something it could breathe, so to speak. This would account for the volume of juice decreasing by half - it was a freak that had a huge appetite.

Mike

 

[patrick]

So to lower the pH you have to add an acid? Sounds easy enough. Good luck.

 

[wordwiz]

Patrick,

You missed the point - the juice that blew up probably had a lower pH than the juice that hasn't exploded. Everyone seems to agree that I don't need to add vinegar, citric acid, lemon juice to red toms, but posits that the yellow toms are not as low in acid so I need to add something. But the pH meter says otherwise.

Mike

 

[patrick]

I thought 4.9 and 5.2 pH levels were a bit on the high side.

 

[patrick]

Here's a quote from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. "Although tomatoes usually are considered an acid food, some are now known to have pH values slightly above 4.6. Figs also have pH values slightly above 4.6. Therefore, if they are to be canned as acid foods, these products must be acidified to a pH of 4.6 or lower with lemon juice or citric acid. Properly acidified tomatoes and figs are acid foods and can be safely processed in a boiling-water canner."

If I'm reading it right it's saying the pH needs to be 4.6 or lower. I'm not sure what "canned as acid foods" means. Can you can them as non acid foods?

Not trying to be a PITA, just trying to get the best answers.

 

[Brokensea]

So to lower the pH you have to add an acid? Sounds easy enough. Good luck.

Did someone re-write the laws of chemistry while I was out?

 

[pepperfever]

I get lost on the acid vs non acid but this much I know..if you are going to can non or low acid food you must use a pressure canner to make it safe. The botulism germs can live through a lot of heat and water bath canning does not get the food to the temperature needed to kill it. So for your own peace of mind use a pressure canner or acidify your food before canning.

 

[AlabamaJack]

Now maybe it is whacked out and unreliable but the yellow juice read 4.9. The red juice read 5.2
Mike

when was the last time you calibrated your pH meter Mike...pH readings are temperature sensitive and your meter needs to be calibrated at 4.0 and 7.0 using buffer solutions at the current temperature you are working in order to get accurate readings...

Did someone re-write the laws of chemistry while I was out?

yup...you add acid to lower the pH...vinegar/lemon juice/lime juice or citric acid...

 

[wordwiz]

AJ,

It has been a couple of months since it was calibrated so the readings might not be exact. But... both juices were the same temperature - room temp - when I took the readings.

Mike

 

[imaguitargod]

If it's one of my alien friends, I appologize for his behavior.

 

[patrick]

Did someone re-write the laws of chemistry while I was out?

Brokensea would you mind elaborating on this? I can assure you that the laws of chemistry haven't been changed by me. It would be nice to understand your comment though.

Maybe I should have said to lower the pH number, thereby increasing the acidity, you need to add an acid.