My hot sauce pops
I am a hot sauce producer and I'm dealing with some problems that I think have to do with the hot weather.
When I finish my sauce (processed with a fruit-based paste and put in plastic bottles to funnel it into the sterilized glass jars) sometimes, in about 2 weeks, when I turn the lid, it pops and looks like it's fermented. The smell is bad.
Sometimes, I leave the sauces in the plastic bottles and even in there, they pop and ferment. I really don't know if it's fermenting but it looks like it.
Anyone has had a similar experience in making hot sauces?
Sometimes I process with balsamic vinegar.
Can you help me?
Best Answer
If you are using sterilised containers and equipment, I expect the problem with fermentation lies with your fruit based paste. Is this a home made, or bought product, does this get heated, and if so what temperature does it get to? As it may suggest an issue with killing/controlling the level of yeast in the mixture. Note: I expect you do not have any added yeast into your recipe, but may not have accounted for the amount of yeast/bacteria in the air and other sources.
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Why is my homemade hot sauce bubbling?
If you place the fermented hot sauce in tightly sealed bottles, unrefrigerated, they will EXPLODE! This is because the hot sauce is still fermenting and will continue to do so, creating bubbles. Remember it is alive and this is NOT canning.Why did my hot sauce explode?
Fermentation produces CO2, which can build up inside the bottle and cause it to bust. Most commercial hot sauces are designed to avoid further fermentation, but small-batch or DIY hot sauces run a higher risk of continuing to ferment and then exploding.How do you keep hot sauce from exploding?
One easy option is to throw your hot sauce in the fridge or freezer. The extremely cold temperatures will significantly slow down the bacteria and prevent them from growing and fermenting. Another option is to add vinegar.How can you tell if hot sauce has gone bad?
Signs of spoiled hot sauce include:Khloé Kardashian Holds Back Tears While Eating Spicy Wings | Hot Ones
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Images: Eneida Nieves, Narda Yescas, Engin Akyurt, Edward Eyer