Typical Jelly Problems And Causes

BY PATRICIA REDLINGER & DIANE NELSON

Problem	Causes	Prevention
Contains glasslike particles or crystals.	1. Sugar may not have dissolved completely due to undercooking. 2. Long, slow cooking may have resulted in too much evaporation of water. 3. Undissolved sugar, which was sticking to the pan, washed into the jelly as it was poured. 4. If grape jelly, the crystals may be tartaric acid, a natural substance in grapes.	1. Time cooking accurately. 2. Jelly should be boiled rapidly, not simmered. 3. Ladle jelly into jars instead of pouring it. Or, carefully wipe side of pan free of sugar crystals with a damp cloth before filling jars.
Problem	Causes	Prevention
Lacks flavor.	1. Fruit was not ripe enough.   2. Jelly stored too long.   3. Storage area was too warm.	1. Use full flavored, tree-ripened fruit. 2. Jelly should be eaten within 1 year. 3. Storage area should be cool, dark, dry.
Problem	Causes	Prevention
“Weeping”	1. Syneresis or weeping usually occurs in quick-setting jellies and is due to amount of acid and quality of pectin in the fruit. 2. Storage area was too warm.	1. Follow reliable, tested recipe. Use only 4 to 6 cups of juice per batch. Do not alter the recipe.   2. Storage area should be cool and dark.

Problem	Causes	Prevention
Cloudy.	1. Fruit was too green.   2. Fruit may have been cooked too long before straining.   3. Juice may have been squeezed from fruit. 4. Jelly poured into jars too slowly.   5. Jelly mixture was allowed to stand before it was poured into jars.	1. Fruit should be firm but ripe.   2. Fruit should be cooked only until tender. 3. To obtain the clearest jelly possible, let juice drip through cotton flannel bag, but do not squeeze.   4. Work quickly.   5. Immediately fill and seal jars.

Problem	Causes	Prevention
Bubbles. May denote spoilage.	1. If bubbles are moving, jelly is spoiled; usually the airtight seal has been broken. (Do not use.)   2. If bubbles are standing still, utensil from which jelly was poured was held too far from top of jar or jelly was poured slowly and air wastrapped in the hot jelly.	1. Use sterilized jars. Fill jars while jelly is boiling hot. Heat process as directed. Test seals before storing. 2. Hold pan or ladle close to jar and pour quickly.
Problem	Causes	Prevention
Mold. (Do not use.)	Jelly was not processed properly to insure airtight seal.	Use sterilized jars. Fill jars while jelly is boiling hot. Heat process as directed. Test seals before storing.
Problem	Causes	Prevention
Tough or stiff.	1. Too much pectin in fruit.   2. Jelly was overcooked.   3. Too little sugar, so mixture had to be cooked too long to reach jellying stage.	1. Use riper fruit.   2. Cook jelly for recommended time. Time accurately. Do not alter method.   3. Measure sugar accurately and use amount specified.
Problem	Causes	Prevention
Fermented. Spoilage evident. (Do not use.)	Yeasts grow on jelly when seal is not airtight.	Sterilize jars before using. Fill jars while jelly is boiling hot. Heat process as directed. Test seals before storing.
Problem	Causes	Prevention
Dark on surface.	Harmless browning reaction due to enzymes naturally present in fruit.	Eliminate air from the jar by heat processing so that the reaction won’t occur.

Author:

Patricia Redlinger, extension food science specialist and Diane Nelson, communication specialist. Iowa State University : University Extension

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