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White Spots on Home Canned Blueberries

Blueberries
Photo: Oregon State University. This blueberry is after canning.

Blueberries have a natural defense system on their skin to help make them resistant to mold. The skin has a high wax content.

In this picture, notice the little white rings? It looks like white bloom, similar to what happens to chocolate when it is temperature abused. Those white spots are melted wax from the blueberries that melts at a temperature of at least 140°F. When canning fresh blueberries, the wax melted, then re-solidified during cooling leaving the little white rings. Reheating should melt it again.

This is not harmful and is a natural component of the fruit.

Source: Oregon State University Master Food Preservers

 

About Karen Blakeslee

The Rapid Response Center was formed in 1995 as a resource for Kansas State University Research & Extension Agents. Resource topics included Food Science, Human Nutrition, Food Service, Textiles, Home Care and other consumer topics. Since that time, the Center has grown to be of valuable assistance to Kansas State University Extension Specialists in those areas.

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