Brown condensate in re-used jars

[heidih]

Can someone tell me what is going on? I often re-purpose jam jars for food storage. I have noticed this brown liquid on the underside of the lid and sometimes where the threads are on the glass. I generally just wipe it off. It happens oftentimes when I am storing an acidic product. In the shot below I was storing pickled ginger. The second shot is how the paper towel looked after I wiped the lid.

[heidih]

Now that I look at my own pictures it appears to be happening on the lid where the integrity of the lid has been "compromised" with scratches. Perhaps when it appears on the threads the lid is also no longer pristine. Is it just normal condensate with rust? Ack- time to find better jars?

[thock]

Looks like rust to me.

I think you can get new lids for the old jars. Fillmore containers and lids.

There are probably other sources out there, too. I've been giving some thought to getting some lids, myself.

[Jmahl]

Just put a piece of plastic wrap over the jar before screwing on the lid. Problem solved.

[heidih]

Just put a piece of plastic wrap over the jar before screwing on the lid. Problem solved.

Thanks! I do that with smelly things like kimchee already.