Sun Dried Tomatoes Spoiling?

Jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, purchased from Costco, stored in fridge. Notice apparent congealing of oil around tomatoes in little white blobs like couscous. Heated up a bit on the stove - melted, and tomatoes tasted all right. Anyone else notice this? Congealed oil or some sort of mold / spoil? It doesn't bother me unless I am spoiling a dish by adding these tomatoes.

Thanks much
alriemer

Sounds like congealed oil to me. I've kept sun-dried tomatoes in oil in t he fridge for a long time and they were fine. Also, I'm not a food scientist, but I don't believe oil is a particularly conducive medium to molds, bacteria and other spoilage critters - espcially at refrigerator temperatures.

Well they didn't kill me, so I guess we're OK.

Hi,

I have salted anchovies seeped in olive oil in my refrigerator for a long time. I also have bits of white something or another which melts away every time I used the anchovies. I read somewhere (but where?) this is a natural occuring phenomena and never worried about it. I also have a jar of unopened dried tomatoes in oil from Costco, which doesn't have any. If I use them slowly over the long term, I expect the same white globs to visit.

BTW - I occasionally add olive oil to my anchovies if the level gets too low.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I have salted anchovies seeped in olive oil in my refrigerator for a long time. I also have bits of white something or another which melts away every time I used the anchovies. I read somewhere (but where?) this is a natural occuring phenomena and never worried about it. I also have a jar of unopened dried tomatoes in oil from Costco, which doesn't have any. If I use them slowly over the long term, I expect the same white globs to visit.

BTW - I occasionally add olive oil to my anchovies if the level gets too low.

Olive oil will harden in the fridge. It may form globs or even a solid mass. It returns to liquid state when brought back to room temp. I keep a squirt bottle of olive oil and pommegranate juice in the fridge at all times, and this is what always happens.