Not strictly topical, but related.
I got these pickles from a Jewish deli (though they're not produced on site) and they've been sitting in the fridge, sealed, for several months. I noticed there's a gross white-grey slime on the edges of the pickles as well as the base of the jar. When disturbed it clouds up. They're the kind of pickles that say to refrigerate. (Are these the ones that are technically fermented, not pickled? Do they need to be consumed much faster than shelf stable ones?)
A brief googling suggests this is either kahm yeast (edible, but can cause unpleasant flavours), or of course the other option is mold.
I'm a "when in doubt, throw it out" kinda guy, but it would also be a shame to waste edible pickles. Haven't bothered with the smell test yet because I wouldn't be sure they were safe even if they smelled fine to me.
Any of you food safety aficionados and/or picklers have any advice?
Potentially gross, you may not want to view these pics while you're eating: