Why does a vegetable soup turn sour?

Why does a vegetable soup turn sour? - Brown Soup in White Ceramic Bowl

I made a vegetable soup with peas, onion, garlic, potatoes, celery, cubed chicken stock, salt, and olive oil. I put it in two containers, one open and the other airtight, and in the fridge. After 6 days, the soup in the open container had turned sour and had a vinegar taste, while the one in the airtight container had a normal taste. So I presume that oxidation plays a role in the vinegar taste.

Why does a vegetable soup turn sour?



Best Answer

A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge. Six days is past the point where the soup is still likely to be "fresh"; the sour taste is most likely spoilage of some sort.

As for the question of why the airtight container was different from the open one: it could be that the open container absorbed more microbes that were floating around in the air, or it could be that the open container allowed more oxygen for certain types of microbes to grow better, or both.

Bottom line: when soup turns "sour" unexpectedly, it's probably time to throw it out.




Pictures about "Why does a vegetable soup turn sour?"

Why does a vegetable soup turn sour? - Soup on White Ceramic Soup Bowl
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Quick Answer about "Why does a vegetable soup turn sour?"

A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.

How do you fix sour vegetable soup?

Add an extra 1 tsp (4.8 g) of baking soda to your soup if it's still sour. Stir the baking soda into your soup, once again waiting for the powder to bubble and settle. Taste the soup again to see if the flavor is any better. If not, continue adding baking soda in 1 tsp (4.8 g) to your soup.

What can I do if my soup is too sour?

If your dish tastes too sour try to add sweetness\u2014think sugar, honey (it's healthy!), cream or even caramelized onions. You can also dilute the dish (same as you would with a dish with too much salt). As a last resort, add a pinch of baking soda to make the dish more alkaline.

How can you tell if vegetable soup is bad?

Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 \xb0F and 140 \xb0F; cooked vegetable soup should be discarded if left for more than 2 hours at room temperature. How to tell if cooked vegetable soup is bad? If cooked vegetable soup develops an off odor, flavor or appearance, or if mold appears, it should be discarded.

Why does soup smell sour?

Smell the soup: When you smell your soup, it should give off a pleasant aroma. If your soup smells sour or unpleasant, then it is likely spoiled and should be discarded. If your soup smells rancid or sour, then you should never taste it to check further. Tasting food that is spoiled may make you sick.



the SHOCKING SECRET to great veggie soup (!!!)




More answers regarding why does a vegetable soup turn sour?

Answer 2

I was experiencing this, and found that I was the culprit. I had been dumping my used tofu water into the soup pot, to extend it, thinking it would at least have more flavor than just water. The fermentation that had leeched from the tofu was what did it.

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