raspberry puree (plus lemon and vodka) - can it still be safe?

[destrekor]

So, this puree started with frozen raspberries, and to it I added sugar, lemon juice, and vodka.

I used it for a custard topping perhaps a month ago. It has been sitting in a container in the refrigerator.

It smells fine - can that be the case? I expected to find it in a mess when I opened it, so I'm shocked that by all accounts it appears to be fine.

It was never boiled - frozen berries plus mix-ins in a blender, then refrigerated.

Thoughts? I'm trying to not kill myself tonight.

 

[PottedMeat]

it's fine.

sugar, lemon juice, and vodka ... refrigerated

it's hard to find anything that will live in that environment

 

[destrekor]

That was my initial thought, that's a strong anti-microbial concoction, but I know it cannot possibly remain untainted forever, especially considering it was not boiled or anything. Tough to survive in that environment, but not impossible. I guess the main variables were the cleanliness of the initial tools and utensils - it has not been touched since first prepared and then spooned onto some custard-filled ramekins. So long as no spores or spore-forming life hitched a ride, it should be fine. But, that's food safety in a nutshell - it COULD be fine, until it's not, and spores are allowed to germinate.

I was considering adding it to a drink, but I'm mostly through that drink now, and was mostly just surprised that it actually seemed entirely fine.

Is it more likely to simply reach a point of natural degradation before anything can actually survive and populate within it? I'm now curious not about the product itself but from a food science perspective. I enjoyed a food science course in college and ever since then, I've paid far more attention to these things than I probably should, but it may be a life saver some day. 😀

 

[Mike64]

That was my initial thought, that's a strong anti-microbial concoction, but I know it cannot possibly remain untainted forever, especially considering it was not boiled or anything.

Depends on how much of the additional ingredients you added. Enough sugar and alcohol will keep keep it pretty safe in general for a very, very long time, and all that plus original acidity of the berries & lemon juice will have kept it safe from one of the worst potential dangers - botulism - even if all the spare oxygen in the container got used up oxidizing the surface layer of the puree.

Is it more likely to simply reach a point of natural degradation before anything can actually survive and populate within it?

Probably not without it looking and/or smelling like a biology experiment...

 

[destrekor]

Depends on how much of the additional ingredients you added. Enough sugar and alcohol will keep keep it pretty safe in general for a very, very long time, and all that plus original acidity of the berries & lemon juice will have kept it safe from one of the worst potential dangers - botulism - even if all the spare oxygen in the container got used up oxidizing the surface layer of the puree.

Probably not without it looking and/or smelling like a biology experiment...

1 cup frozen raspberries (unthawed)**
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon limoncello
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

That was the recipe I followed, except I didn't have limoncello so I went with vodka. I added at least a tablespoon of vodka, not sure if I went for a full ounce or not, I don't think so.

Don't know how much lemon juice I added, likely a teaspoon or two.

I don't think it was necessarily enough lemon juice to make it too acidic for C. Botulinum.

I was thinking of that bastard bug, but couldn't recall what the canning and fruit preserve world had to fend off the most. Should have easily remembered it was the biggest baddie of them all, but... I wasn't trying I guess. 😉

Anyway, I would think I shouldn't be too terribly concerned. I don't know if the entire container would have went oxygen-starved in a month or so, it's possible I guess, and even if it wasn't entirely acidic the alcohol and oxygen should have prevented germination.

 

[Mike64]

Even the acidity in the berries themselves would likely keep botulism spores from sprouting and growing (which is why it's safe to can berries, among other fruit, in boiling water rather than a pressure canner), and even that little lemon juice, plus the likelihood of there being some free oxygen in the container, would help a great deal. Botulism spores are tough little buggers when it comes to surviving drought and heat, but they're pretty sensitive to acidity and oxygen. (Neither will destroy them, but they will keep from them sprouting and growing, and in the process producing the toxin which is the dangerous thing.)

That's also a fair amount of sugar, but not that much alcohol, so I am a little that surprised nothing at all - not even mold - has grown in there in a month. But since it looks and smells OK, I think it's safe enough to taste, and if tastes OK now, you could throw it in the freezer if you're not planning to use it up real soon. And next time, just freeze whatever you don't use right away...

 

[shortylickens]

it may even go up 30 proof.