What's happened to my pickled beet

[flushingfreda]

Hi can anyone tell me please why my beetroot I lovingly grew and pickled last year has turned a horrible white colour in the jars.

Too little sugar/salt/vinegar - these are the preservatives?
Not careful enough with hygiene?
Not cooked long enough?

Not much help...sorry

Hygiene? When I'm making jam/jelly (don't do pickles) (especially beetroot) I put the jam jars and lids in my old electric baby bottle steam steriliser - never have any problems with mould etc.

The colour has just leeched out into the vinegar. Still perfectly edible unless the texture has changed and it's mushy rather than crisp and even then it won't harm you.