We make fridge pickles routinely with cukes, peppers, and beets. The point of refrigeration is that whatever is in it grows slowly, and the acidic mixture doesn't help. Unless you have really toxic stuff wafting around your kitchen, stands to reason that whatever was deposited in your jars isn't any worse than what would have been deposited on the cukes sitting on the counter. But still, a simple washing of things you make food in is always smart. I guess you have to trust the Mason jar company for seeing to it that there isn't toxic stuff wafting around in their factory, which I suspect is justified. But the smell test is always in order. If fridge pickles smell "off", time to dump 'em.

Hmmmm......how many jars? I would have misgivings myself, but I tend to worry too much.

I doubt they're highly toxic or anything, but the skeeve factor is understandable and relatable.

I usually reassure myself by considering the many things that happen in restaurant and other people's kitchens that we are never aware of...

I would have washed, but having failed to do so I would still eat. They are "safe," assuming in transit some malicious person didnt tamper. A note about refrigerator pickles, always remove the pickles from the jar with a clean fork. The only time I had a jar start to turn on me was the same time I caught my son raiding the pickle jar with his grubby hands.

I wouldn't eat anything from an unwashed jar. That's why I do not accept canned goods from others.