If it isn't 1/2 Tbsp. (i.e. 1 1/2 tsp.) it isn't guaranteed safe.

Especially with tomato juice this is an issue as unlike a cooked product, it's often consumed as a beverage.

If you object to the lemon juice, try citric acid powder.
That's what we prefer.

Carol

I'm not sure what your question is? What recipe did you use for the sauce? Was it a tested and approved one or one you made up on your own? Was it just plain tomato sauce or did you add other low-acid ingredients? What was in it to make it sour? How long did you process the 1/2 pint jars? Really need more details.

If what you are asking is is it ok to reduce the amount of lemon juice called for then I'm sorry but the answer would be no. Not if you want it to be considered a safe sauce per the guidelines. 1/2 T per 1/2 pint. How risky it may or may not be if you used less depends on the ingredients used in the recipe.

If you aren't concerned with following the guidelines then you can add however much you want or none at all. You always have the choice of how much risk you are comfortable with.

Hope this helps.

Dave

I used the Ball recipe for tomato sauce. The ingredients were 15lbs fresh tomatoes, 1 onion, few cloves of garlic and some dry spice. It's a tested recipe but it did call for that lemon juice. The jars were processed at the full time for 35 minutes, in half pint jars. It's the first time I canned and I just thought that it was too sour as it is...

Ok, it's more than 24 hours and they are just sitting out on the shelf. How long will it take for them to go bad if they actually have bacteria in there?

Sorry, here's more detail - the tomatoes themselves seem to have been the only sour thing that went in there. The tomatoes were just firm, but not plush or anything, so it could be that they were slightly underripe? I got them at the grocery last week. Doesn't sourness equal acidity to some extent?

I was planning to give these as gifts at a party in 2 weeks. Do you think that if there's bacteria in the jars, they'll show up before then?

There are several recipes for tomato sauce in the Ball Blue Book and in the Ball Complete Book as well as recipes on the Ball website. So I can't tell which one of them you used based on those ingredients. I don't find one off hand that calls for only 15 lbs. of tomatoes.

But given the source, assuming you followed it to the letter with the exception of the lemon juice, than all I can tell you is that some wouldn't worry about it and the choice is yours. 15 lbs. can't make much sauce so personally I'd just stick the jars in the fridge and plan on using it tomorrow night for supper. Make a big pot of spaghetti.

It isn't a question of them going bad. It is a question of it being safe to eat after sitting on the shelf. Acidity doesn't remain stable over time on the shelf so this isn't shelf storage safe. Plus this time of year, store bought tomatoes don't make very good sauce anyway as you have discovered.

And it definitely isn't sufficiently acidic, especially with the garlic and the onions added, to be safe for gift giving. Please don't. It's best to stick with high acid foods like fruits, jams and jellies, and relishes when it comes to gift giving. That way you know they are safe to give.

Dave

PS: Sour only equates to acidity on our taste bus, not in the canning jar.

Ok, so if the people using the jars boil the sauce for 10 minutes before using, shouldn't that kill all the bacteria in there anyway? If not, why, then, do the CDC and FDA say that boiling the canned food for 10 minutes will kill botulism?

I decided to chuck the jars. I'll restart from scratch. I figured that if someone would tell me, "I can guarantee you won't get botulism if you pay $30" I would pay, so I'll accept this loss ;)

I can see I misread. For some reason I was thinking juice rather than sauce.

Yes, you could open and boil the sauce for the prescribed time. That will kill any potential toxins. Do keep in mind if we're speaking of botulism, it's undetectable by sight or smell, so you'd never know one way or another if it's there or not when you open a jar.

As Dave said, it's a matter of the degree of risk you're comfortable with.

I am not sure the lemon juice was the issue. If store-bought (not farmers market) imported tomatoes are being used, it's doubtful you'd achieve a quality product. They're either flat or sour or a combination of the two. It's just the wrong season.

Put the very best product available (seasonally) in the jar. You don't want to go to all that work for an inferior product.

I'm sorry this experience didn't turn out well for you, but I hope you stick with canning.

Carol

As I said above, I wouldn't toss the jars, I just wouldn't plan on shelf storage for them and I wouldn't give them as gifts. I would use them ASAP in a properly cooked recipe calling for tomato sauce.

I don't know what the gift giving situation is but an off season product that wasn't that good to begin with you said and then wasn't properly canned so would require an attached warning for use would be a poor gift IMO.

Just as most all states will not allow you to sell home canned acidified foods to the public without all sorts of recipe testing and kitchen inspections and certifications, giving them as gifts can be quite risky to the receiver. Thus my suggestion to stick with the standard acid foods for gifts. Especially so until you gain some knowledge and experience with all the requirements and the reasons behind them.

Dave