When canning peppers I used white vinegar water a clove of garlic and alum. The garlic turned blue. why?

Question

why would this happen? Is it okay?

Answer 1

Its like pickles.  The cucumber reacts with the vinegar and any other ingred's in the mix to turn into a pickle.  Now the garlic reacts with the alum and vinegar to turn blue.  But I bet it still tastes great!

Answer 2

Everyone is right, I am a former chef and my first attempt at pickling garlic the same happened it is a chemical reaction and like apples and other fruit and veg it is an oxidation issue, were as the surface of the garlic reacts to exposure to air or acids like vinegar and alum is a base to lessen the acidic content and add crispness to the product.

I made a soup one time and added red cabbage and when I went to serve it it to had turn a inky blues, not appetizing but edible.

Answer 3

Because of the Alum!*

Answer 4

Chemical reaction. Still ok to eat

Answer 5

One of life's great mysteries!  It's fine to eat .... I regularly have to tell people my skordalia isn't mouldy, it's just the bright green garlic.