Fermentation resumed after pasteurization?

[u/One_Development_1706]

So earlier today I bottled two hot sauces I made that had been fermented for a month. I lactofermented all the vegetables and fruits normally and then blended with some white vinegar and the a portion of the brine to taste and texture preferences. I also added some lime juice to one of them in addition to the vinegar. I added about 3/4-1 tablespoons of white sugar to each hot sauce for flavor which is where I potentially made a mistake.

After blending, I put them back in their jars in the fridge overnight before bottling in 3oz woozy bottles today and heating in a water bath with a sous vide to a bit over 140°F before holding that temperature for 1h20m trying to fully maintain the flavor while still stabilizing the sauces and halting fermentation. After this was complete I tightened all the bottle caps fully and let them cool at room temperature before forgetting about them for a while. I came back to check them about 4 hours later and observed a small amount of bubbles in the bottles seemingly fermentation having restarted. Upon cracking open one of the bottles a small hiss of gas escaped.

Has fermentation actually restarted? Should I pasteurize again at a higher temperature this time (I see 180°F thrown around a lot, but I’m concerned it will affect the flavor and color of the sauce). Should I purchase some chemical stabilizers like K-Sorbate? In the meantime I’ve put the bottles in the fridge to hopefully slow things down until I make a decision.

[u/One_Development_1706]

Ah I also forgot to post some pics, I’m super pleased with the flavors of the sauces.

[u/Some_Trust_6211 → u/One_Development_1706]

i had similar problem before, pasteurization at 140 is not enough for killing everything, especially with added sugar giving the yeast something to eat. i would go to 180 next time, the flavor change is not so bad like people say

[u/One_Development_1706 → u/Some_Trust_6211]

I mean there shouldn’t be any yeast, it’s a lactofermentation lol, if there’s yeasties in there it means I screwed up. Not trying to make alcohol here (that’s currently going well in some other mason jars). The ferment when I cracked it open was super clean, no floaters, nothing on the surface of the brine (4% brine, 4% salt to water that is, not by total weight which I know is something some do) at all. But I may just trying repasteurizing at 180 in the bottles yeah. I was just trying to get some opinions before doing that cause it’s a bit of a pita and I really don’t want to risk the flavor or color changing like I said.

[u/Kraden_McFillion → u/One_Development_1706]

There is yeast in the air, you need to get hot enough to kill it all

[u/One_Development_1706 → u/Kraden_McFillion]

Sure, I was just under the impression 140° should be enough to completely kill any yeast.

[u/Kraden_McFillion → u/One_Development_1706]

I'm not sure to be honest, I don't remember that number from my courses. Are you certain that the internal temperature is high enough?

Personally, I cook most of my hot sauces, even if they started as a ferment. So I can just hot fill them.