Why did my storebought spaghetti sauce bubble out of the jar?

Why did my storebought spaghetti sauce bubble out of the jar? - Selective Focus Photography of Pasta With Tomato and Basil

Tonight we were having meatball subs we open store bought spaghetti sauce and put it on our subs. We just spooned it out of the jar, no heating. We looked away for a moment, then once we started eating I looked at the sauce and it had bubbled and run over the sides of the jar. The top looked like lava with bubbles busting air. Anyone ever hear of this? What happened? It was sauce with Italian sausage.



Best Answer

Since it was unheated, this is definitely a sign of food contamination. Since this had Italian sausage, it is low pH, and could be in danger of botulism toxin. Here is information from the CDC about botulism. If you ate the sauce, I recommend you see a doctor quickly, as it can lead to paralysis.

If it had been heated, it could have just been boiling over. As liquids boil, bubbles start to form. Since the spaghetti sauce is thick, it's going to trap the bubbles, and release them with more force. The bubbles may accumulate so much, that it will spill over the pan.




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Quick Answer about "Why did my storebought spaghetti sauce bubble out of the jar?"

As liquids boil, bubbles start to form. Since the spaghetti sauce is thick, it's going to trap the bubbles, and release them with more force. The bubbles may accumulate so much, that it will spill over the pan. Please try to get medical help.

Why is my tomato sauce bubbling in the jar?

After processing, tiny air bubbles may be noticed in the product. If these bubbles are inactive, they are benign or harmless. If the bubbles are actively moving or fizzing up to the top of the jar when opened, the product may be fermenting or contaminated.

Why is my spaghetti sauce bubbling?

When tomato sauce boils, again, gas bubbles form and want to escape to the surface, but those gas bubbles meet a lot of resistance. The pressure builds up below the surface until finally those gas bubbles can break through to the surface, erupting upward and pulling globs of sauce with them.

How can you tell if a jar of spaghetti sauce is bad?

The best way is to smell and look at the spaghetti sauce: if the spaghetti sauce develops an off odor, flavor or appearance, or if mold appears, it should be discarded. Discard all spaghetti sauce from cans or packages that are leaking, rusting, bulging or severely dented.

Can you get botulism from jarred spaghetti sauce?

Foodborne botulism is often caused by failure to follow proper canning methods, and is more common in low acid foods, such as asparagus, green beans, beets and corn. The current suspected cases are related to a California company's recall of jarred sauces and other food products.



How To Improve Store-Bought Tomato Sauce




More answers regarding why did my storebought spaghetti sauce bubble out of the jar?

Answer 2

As MCheng said that is very likely botulism. You will need to watch for symptoms for 10 days. If you develop symptoms then you need to get medical attention immediately. It doesn't take very much to be in danger so unfortunately even the amount you ate can pose a risk.

From the CDC's website:

If you develop signs or symptoms of botulism, seek medical attention immediately. These include new onset of double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, or muscle weakness. If untreated, the illness may progress from head to toe, with paralysis of the face, arms, breathing muscles, trunk, and legs. Symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as 6 hours or as late as 10 days. If your physician suspects botulism, he or she should contact local or state health officials, who may collect any leftover product and cans.

If you ate a recalled product in the past 10 days, no intervention is available to prevent botulism. Treatment is only given to persons who show signs or symptoms of botulism. If you develop signs or symptoms of botulism, seek medical attention immediately. You do not need to make yourself vomit or take any other action. Watch for signs or symptoms of botulism for 10 days after you ate the recalled product.

If you ate a recalled product more than 10 days ago and you have no signs or symptoms of botulism, you are very unlikely to develop botulism.

Also, please make sure you dispose of the contaminated food correctly:

Do not open or puncture any unopened can of the recalled product. Dispose of food that may be contaminated by placing in a sealable bag, wrapping another plastic bag around the sealable bag, and then taping tightly. Place bags in a trash receptacle for non-recyclable trash outside the home and out of reach of humans and pets. Do not discard the food in a sink, garbage disposal, or toilet. Avoid splashing and contact with the skin. Wear rubber or latex gloves when handling open containers of food that you think may be contaminated. Wash hands with soap and running water for at least 2 minutes after handling food or containers that may be contaminated. Wipe up spills using a bleach solution (use ΒΌ cup bleach for each 2 cups of water). Completely cover the spill with the bleach solution. Place a layer of paper towels, 5 to 10 towels thick, on top of the bleach. Let the towels sit for at least 15 minutes, then put the paper towels in the trash. Wipe up any remaining liquid with new paper towels. Clean the area with liquid soap and water to remove the bleach. Wash hands with soap and running water for at least 2 minutes. Sponges, cloths, rags and gloves that may have come into contact with contaminated food or containers should be discarded with the food.

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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