Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Mouldy jam jar rim, aibu to eat the non mouldy jam?

56 replies

Jjiillkkf · 18/08/2024 07:34

There is a little mould down one side of the jam jar - what do normal people do? Eat the unaffected jam or chuck it all? Is it gross to even consider eating the jam?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
FinalInstructionstotheAudience · 18/08/2024 12:49

Jjiillkkf · 18/08/2024 07:50

I really wanted it, but lost my nerve and chucked my Jammy roll to the birds. Probably is safe, but just wasn't sure what a normal sensible person would do

I am about to wrestle the 3kg of blackberries I have foraged into jam.
Would you like a jar? 😊

suburburban · 18/08/2024 12:02

I'd use it in jam tarts at a push

RichardsGear · 18/08/2024 12:00

I salvage it.

teksab · 18/08/2024 11:26

To me it seems a lot of the time it's someone that's stuck a knife in with crumbs/butter on it and left a glob of butter or something in the jam and that's what goes mouldy, not the jam itself- in that case I'd probably scoop that bit out. If it's a fur that's covering the actual jam, chuck it.

MereDintofPandiculation · 18/08/2024 11:22

Loubelle70 · 18/08/2024 08:58

I make jam....i wouldn't eat mouldy jam...botulism. it goes far deeper than the surface. Cheese different matter ☺️

Evidence for botulism in jam is mixed to say the least.

It can’t survive in an acid environment which is why bottling fruit is so much less problematic than bottling vegetables.

MereDintofPandiculation · 18/08/2024 11:17

MandyMiceDavies · 18/08/2024 07:38

My MIL would have chucked the mould and eaten the jam. If she was feeling cautious she’d have boiled it up again first. afaik she was never ill.

OTOH I wouldn’t dream of doing this. It’s probably safe but it’s a bit gross.

Depends on the jam. Jam was originally a way of preserving fruit. Traditional home made jam has 1lb sugar to every pint of fruit/juice. It sets very firm and any mould remains localised. So I have no qualms in removing the mould and a barrier zone and eating the rest.

Modern shop bought jam may have less sugar (though in theory that should mean more fruit but it doesn't taste like that). So you have to be more careful about mould

sanityisamyth · 18/08/2024 10:25

user1471505356 · 18/08/2024 07:41

[t is probably penicillin.

Penicillium ...

CrushingOnRubies · 18/08/2024 10:23

Depends on how deep the mould does down. Normally just scrape off and. Unless I'm baking a Victoria sponge then I'll get a new jar.

redalex261 · 18/08/2024 10:21

It may be ok healthwise, but no! Very offputting.

Abhannmor · 18/08/2024 10:17

KnittedCardi · 18/08/2024 08:47

I'm in the scrape it off and eat it camp. Same with cheese. I also pick mouldy bits off bread if I'm down to the last slice!

And toast it just in case

olderbutwiser · 18/08/2024 09:55

Mum was a young poor housewife immediately after ww2. We ate a lot of mould. I attribute my cast iron guts to her dread of Waste.

xyz111 · 18/08/2024 09:52

I usually eat anything after its use by date, but if there was mould in the jar, I would chuck it, afraid the bacteria is on the rest (just not showing white yet). I'd not want to risk a stomach bug just for some jam.

Funnywonder · 18/08/2024 09:33

I would eat the unaffected jam myself, but somehow don't feel comfortable giving it to my kids. More jam for me then😅

Edingril · 18/08/2024 09:30

I only ever use a clean spoon and try and keep it upside down

Won't help now but should minimise it for future

Lilyhatesjaz · 18/08/2024 09:29

I make quite a bit of jam, if there is a small amount of mould on the paper disc I take it off and we eat it, my mum and gran did this for years with no harm.
I had a batch of strawberry that didn't set properly, I could see mould growing down into the jam, I threw away all 7 jars

SinnerBoy · 18/08/2024 09:29

MortimerBeQuiet · Today 08:06

Def scrape off the mouldy bit and eat it. Been doing this all my life having been taught by my Mum who was a war baby, when food was not wasted.

Likewise, my grandmothers would do that. I once found bacon with a green tinge in one of their fridges, she said "Is it furry? Scrape that off and it'll be fine, we used to have it like that in the war." It wasn't furry, I ate it and was fine.

BTW, Botulinum doesn't grow in jam, or other high acid foods.

focacciamuffin · 18/08/2024 09:24

When this happens to me I scrape off the mould, boil up the jam and pour it back into a clean jar.

HereForTheFreeLunch · 18/08/2024 09:21

I scrap off the mould, wipe the glass with a clean dry tissue to get rid of residue.
Get rid of a further inch of good jam with a fresh spoon. Then I eat it. The jan itself is fine. You just need to get rid of what's growing on it.

But I don't do this twice on the same jar. If it happens again I chuck it and buy a smaller jar.

Uglyandgrumpy · 18/08/2024 09:20

crumblingschools · 18/08/2024 08:37

@Jjiillkkf so you let the birds risk the mould

Birds aren't fussed, if it's not good they don't eat it. Been feeding my hens old food for 25 years. In moderation.

SprigatitoYouAndIKnow · 18/08/2024 09:13

Jam made the traditional British way is half sugar, which preserves the fruit. People used to just put cloths or wax on the top instead of lids and they didn't need refrigerating. Mold only ever occurs on things contaminating the jam, such as butter or breadcrumbs.

So if you have traditional jam you are absolutely fine to scrape the mold and top bit of jam off and eat the underneath. If you have low sugar jam, it can go moldy, so don't eat it.

MagpiePi · 18/08/2024 09:01

sunsetsandboardwalks · 18/08/2024 08:06

I wouldn't eat it.

If you don't want mouldy jam, use a teaspoon so put the jam on your toast then spread it with a knife. It's the butter that causes it to go off.

What?

How would butter cause mould?

AlisonDonut · 18/08/2024 08:58

It is because some contamination got in from using it, if the rest of the jar is fine.

I scrape and carry on using it. Use a teaspoon to remove jam rather than a knife after buttering to reduce contaminants.

Loubelle70 · 18/08/2024 08:58

I make jam....i wouldn't eat mouldy jam...botulism. it goes far deeper than the surface. Cheese different matter ☺️

MellersSmellers · 18/08/2024 08:56

Advent0range · 18/08/2024 07:38

I'd scrape off anything mouldy with a healthy margin, and eat the rest of the Jam. I understand Jam is one of the few foods you can do that with, safely.

Haha, do this with all sorts of foods with no problem!
But would especially have no problem with jam.

Swipe left for the next trending thread