Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600734
10/13/97

BLUESTONE IN PICKLING

    Some  old  pickle recipes call for a  bluestone  to  be

added
to the pickling brine to give the pickles a blue-green

color.
 Bluestone  is  copper  sulfate  and is also known as

blue
vitro.   In earlier days,  pickles were usually made in

metal
 pans containing copper.   They turned a bright  blue-

green
 as  the copper ions  interacted with the  chlorophyll

molecules
 in the pickle.   A similar color was  sought  for

pickles
brined in enameled pan or crocks, and it wasn't long

before
 copper sulfate,  or bluestone,  was found to do  the

job.
  Since  high  levels  of copper can  produce  toxicity

symptoms
in humans,  particularly gastrointestinal problems,

the
 use  of copper sulfate in pickling should  be  avoided.

Since
 its  only  function  is  to  color  the pickles,  the

bluestone
 can be simply eliminated from the recipe  without

affecting
the overall quality of the final product.         

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