principal causes of mold in syrup

[PerryFamily]

Looking to find out the principal reasons syrup molds in the container.

I have found 3 pints that are mold. I have had no other mold problems that I know of. ( Fingers crossed )

I heat to 185-190, bottle, lay on its side for a few minutes. I fill up to the bottom of the threads. These three pints did seem to have been filled not quite to that point. The seals were slightly depressed leading me to believe the seal was ok.

It is really starting to bother me. To the point I want to open everything bottled to check!!! I randomly opened some quarts and were fine.

Is it caused by:
Syrup density too low
Not hot enough ( 180-190, but is hard to regulate when canner gets low, burns easily )
Bad seal ( they seem to be adhered pretty well )
Contaminated containers ( they were from last yr but were stored properly )

Guessing possibly a combination...

Any help is appreciated

[happy thoughts]

Looking to find out the principal reasons syrup molds in the container.

Is it caused by:
Syrup density too low
Not hot enough ( 180-190, but is hard to regulate when canner gets low, burns easily )
Bad seal ( they seem to be adhered pretty well )
Contaminated containers ( they were from last yr but were stored properly )

Guessing possibly a combination...

Any help is appreciated

Yes, any of those alone or in combination. Syrup is for all intents and purposes sterile after boiling for a long time at high temps. Any mold will come from something the syrup contacts after that. Some other things that can introduce mold are contaminated equipment used during packing (like a thermometer, hydrometer, funnel, ladle, etc. especially if put down on a contaminated surface between uses). Sanitize your work surface, sterilize the equipment you can in boiling water prior to use each time and use a clean bowl or plate to put your thermometer, funnel etc. on when not in use during bottling.

Even if properly stored, unused containers and lids from last year could contain mold spores if the containers or lids were left open to air. If this were me and they can't be sterilized I'd at least wash them really well in hot water using a brush right before use.

Lowest safe temp for bottling is 180*F *when the cap goes on*. That means syrup needs to be hotter than 180F going into the container to allow for cooling by the container while being filled. If using glass jars it helps to keep them warm before packing. Proper packing temps will produce the best seal.

[maplecrest]

I find when canning be careful not to touch the inside of the cap .your thumb print in that cap will cause mold.

[PerryW]

I'm guessing that the syrup is cooling of too much by the time the cap gets screwed on. I had mold problems many years ago but now I reheat to 195 then refilter into an insulated canner unit with a dial thermometer. When the dial drops below 185, I stop filling jugs.

[happy thoughts]

Good call on not touching the inside of the cap. Clean off any syrup you get on the rim for a good seal. Also, like PerryW, my own number to stop bottling at is syrup below 185*F. I pack in heated sterilized glass. Knock on wood but haven't lost an unopened container to mold yet.

If using plastic jugs some don't advise laying them on their sides or even inverting them for better sealing and to prevent leaks but that's often a matter of personal preference. Can't tell you though from my own personal experience as I pack in glass.

[PerryFamily]

I am pretty sure it was a combination of 2 things:

Low temp: I bottle the largest containers first, and when I get to the last bit that is what goes in pints. I also have to tip the canner to get that last pint or so out, the remainder goes into a mason jar for myself ( none of which have molded ). I think that last bit has too much heat loss which leads to # 2.

Bad seal: The lower temp, around 180, leads to a bad seal. They were all inverted, sucked down, like the seal was good but did come off pretty clean from the jug. I have seen some that you really have to shred the seal it was sealed so good.

I am hoping to add another 800-1000 taps next year with 1000 on vac so I do not want to sacrifice quality over production. Maybe all of it will go into wholesale drums and to H#ll with the retail. Bad news will out travel good and it just makes me nervous finding these.