You open a jar of home-canned tomatoes from the pantry, only to find a small black fleck clinging to one of the seeds. Your eyes narrow at the speck of darkness as you wonder what caused it: was it mold, botulism, spoilage, or a ruined Sunday sauce? However, this is a far more common (and nonlethal) occurrence than you're imagining.
According to a Penn State Extension's own FAQ, if the jar is properly sealed and the discoloration is limited to the seeds, the food may still be safe to eat. The issue is most likely related to chemistry, rather than biology. In this age of home canners striving for picture-perfect, blemish-free jars, let's explore why our food sometimes looks less than Instagram-ready in the preservation department.
