I recently followed a recipe for spicy canned green beans. I have only canned a couple of times before. This recipe called for alum to be used, and now the jars show a milky white sediment on the bottom( settles on the pickelinf spice). Is this inherent of alum use? The jars have not been opened, the jars were boiled for 12 min, the jars were properly sterilized before canning... the lids are sealed right and concave... help!

No need to be concerned. The sediment is residue from alum, salt and probably spices you used. Rinse well before you eat them. I never had any problem when following home canning procedure, so sediment didn't bother me.