ftp.pasteur.org/FAQ//ftp-pasteur-org-FAQ.zip/FAQ/food/preserving/part2/text0001.txt

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My day gig is as a chemist and I looked very closely at the study that
everyone is quoting. You must read all of it very closely. They found no
detectable bateria after 3 months in a quick bread in a jar. The only time
they did find bateria was when they put it in there to start with. The only
logical conclusion from this is that the processing does not kill all of the
harmfull bateria if it is present to start with. This is only one study and
the conclusion the researchers reached is that more study was needed.

So - it is dangerous ? - probably not very if you start with clean high quality
ingredients. Is it smart ?? probably not - the parameters seem to be quite
tight and the risk possibly high for such a small return.

Since I save so much freezer space by canning everything else in sight all of
which have excellent track records and safety guidelines ) I choose to put all
of my breads up in the freezer and thus eliminate any risk.



1.3. GENERAL INGREDIENT QUESTIONS

1.3.1 [why do some recipes call for a little butter/margarine?]

From: Anna Welborne. My dad always told me it kept the foam quantity down.
That seems to be pretty much true, as I tried leaving it out of the
strawberries this last summer, and had more foam. [BTW, for a beginner,
cutting down on the foam is helpful. Less foamy jam gives a more accurate
reading for your candy thermometer; too much foam is hard for a beginner
to control.]

From: Eric Decker. Let the jam rest after cooking. Now the scum can be
easily skimmed off. Adding butter will foul the flavour to a degree you
may or may not like.

1.3.2 [Sugar]

Unless specified otherwise, sugar is granulated sugar. Dissolves easily,
easy to pour and measure, and all the recipes are calibrated to its volume
to weight.


[e-mail] (Prograf) writes:

what are the precautions I should take when storing white sugar for long
periods of time?  Is there a way to keep it from getting hard?  I've
checked the FAQ but couldn't find any information about it.  [ thank you
for your question.  The info is NOW in the FAQ - ED]


For longggggg term storage of sugar you can use honey rather than refined
sugar. Honey needs to be stored in food grade poly pails. Guard against
water penetration.  If you wish to keep white sugar from lumping you will
need to keep it absolutely and perfectly sealed from moisture. Use poly
food pails and seal well to keep moisture out. Sugar has an immense
affinity for a water molecule.

If you wish the flavour of refined white sugar there is another way.
Make a 50% solution of sugar ( use filtered or distilled water ) and
bottle it off. Yeah I know it is sugar but if you want to preserve it
for a long time you will need a vacuum.  Oxidized sugar solution is
yucky.  You should Pressure Can it to exhaust the jar.  50% sugar
solution doesn't need pressure but by using a pressure canner you can
get the high vacuum that BWB cannot produce. For shorter term storage
you can store 50% sugar solution in gallon bottles of the type used for
laboratory reagents.  Typically the glass is dark brown [ mandatory imho]
and the stopper has a plastic seal  [ highly recommended ]  not cardboard.

Using a funnel, fill right up to the narrow neck. Leave at least 1 inch
for expansion. Make sure there is no sugar solution around the rim - wipe
it with a clean damp cloth to be sure.  The stoppers are equally clean and
used straight from a pot of lukewarm water. Apply the stopper tight. Store
in a cool, dry dark place.


How to get a 50% solution?

Weight of sugar and water to make one gallon.

US gallons:
To make a 50% solution put 1,892 grams of sugar into a pot with 3,785 grams
of water.

Imperial gallons

To make a 50% solution put 2,272 grams of sugar in a pot with 4,545 grams
of water.

Note:

It will be more than one gallon but by working this way you get the
correct solution.  You WILL need to heat the solution to get that much
sugar to dissolve. Do not overheat or you will scorch the sugar and
induce a bad taste which will magnify with time in storage.

The idea behind making a defined solution is you know exactly its strength
which will allow using it in nearly any recipe.

1.3.4 [I need some good sources for pectin]

Bulk pectins, low sugar pectins, citric acid, from Dirk W. Howard
: Pacific Pectin Products/ P.O. Box 2422/ 40179 Enterprise Dr., 7B-D/
Oakhurst, CA 93644 [phone]. Low sugar pectin, from Sandy Fifer :
Pomona's Universal Pectin/ Workstead Industries/ P.O. Box 1083/ Greenfield,
MA 01302 [phone]. Another source for bulk pectin, from both Zlotka
and Kai : Home Canning Supply & Specialties/ PO Box 1158/ Ramona,
California 92065 [phone] or FAX [phone] [phone]
for orders.


1.3.5 [Where can I find me some citric acid?] From Jeff Benjamin ,
rec.food.baking: If there's a home brewing shop in your neck of the woods,
try there. From Joel Ehrlich , rec.food.baking: King Arthur's Flour. Most
places which sell it for baking identify it as "Sour Salt". From several
in rec.food.preserving: Safeway. Food Lion. Ask around.

1.3.6 {Where can I find Clear Gel/Jel A?]
>From Carol Nelson : Here are some sources for Clear Jel in western Oregon.
I have no idea if they will mail order, but it won't hurt to give them a
call. Our local Extension offices sell Clear Jel for $2.00/pound for an
idea on price. Captain Albert's Good Things/ 254 Commercial/ Salem, Or
[phone] Friedman's Microwave Store/ 1120 Lancaster Dr NE/ Salem, Or
364-0538 or 1-888-380-4372 Burrow's Country Store/ 635 Wallace Rd NE/
Salem, Or [phone]


1.3.6 - [How do I make and use homemade pectin?  aka pectin 101 ]


Putting Food By so lovingly know as PFB in RFP has the answers here.

If you are serious about preserving you do owe yourself a copy of
PFB. If you can afford only one preserving book this is it.  It is
also known in rec.food.preserving with good reason as "the Bible of
food preserving".


-------


"Pectin is highest in lightly underripe fruit, and diminishes as the
fruit becomes ripe; overripe fruit, lacking adequate pectin of its
own, is responsible for a good deal of runny jams and jelly.

...

This natural pectin in the fruit can be activated only by cooking -- but
COOKING QUICKLY, both in heating the fruit to help start the juice, and
later when juice or pulp is boiled together with the sugar.  And TOO-SLOW
COOKING or BOILING TOO LONG, can reduce the gelling properties of the
pectin, whether natural or not.

...

Testing for pectin content.  There are several tests, but the simplest
one uses ready-to-hand materials.  In a cup, stir together 1 teaspoon
cooked fruit juice with 1 tablespoon non-methyl alcohol. No extra pectin
is needed if the juice forms one big clot that can be picked up with a fork.
If the fruit is too low in pectin, it will make several small daubs that do
not clump together.  DON'T EVER TASTE THE SAMPLES.

Homemade Liquid Pectin

Liquid pectin is especially helpful in making peach, pear, strawberry, or
those other jellies whose fruit is low in pectin.

Four to 6 tablespoons of homemade pectin for every 1 cup of prepared juice
should give a good gel: but experiment!  These pectins can be frozen or canned
for future use. To can, ladle hot into hot [ sterile - ED ] jars, leaving 1/2
inch of headroom; process at a simmer, 185F/85C, for 15 minutes. remove from
canner, cool upright and naturally.


Crab Apple Pectin

2 pounds sliced unpeeled crabapples
3 cups water

Simmer, stirring, for 30-40 minutes adding water as needed. Plop into colander
lined with one layer of cheesecloth [ or muslim - ED] and set over a bowl; press
to force the juices. To clear, heat the collected juice and pour through a stout
jelly bag that has been moistened in hot water. The result is the pectin you
will
can, or freeze, or use right away.


Tart Apple Pectin

4 pounds sliced apples with peels and cores.
8 cups water

Simmer, little stirring needed, for three (3) minutes. Press apples through a
sieve to remove cores, etc. Return liquid to a heavy kettle [ or use a heavy
wide mouth pot to enhance reduction ] to cook briskly, [ and quickly ] stirring,
until volume is reduced to one-half.  Clarify by pouring though a stout jelly
bag that has been moistened. Use, can, or freeze as above.



----------


1.3.7 - [What can I do with all these peels and cores - the waste? ]

Make pectin. Use as few seeds as possible and crush none to preclude ingesting
alkaloid and cyanide compounds which are present in lima bean, citrus and apples
seeds.

The pomace from apple crushing / pressing can be used to generate cider vinegar.

Compost is a great way to solve the by-product problem.  Your garden will
benefit enormously in the years to come. Do make sure the compost works fully so
that the seeds are digested. Add a sprinkle of powdered lime to each layer in
the compost heap to assure strong action.

--

Ivan Weiss has some good words:

I don't mean to get into an off-topic thread, but it is inconceivable that
there would be enough pesticide residue in any fruit peels to withstand a
proper composting process. I can tell you this authoritatively from five
years of annual inspections by the Washington state Department of
Agriculture for certification as an organic grower. I compost anything
that will rot (within reason), and the state, which takes a whole lot of
core samples, has never found trace #1 of any pesticides on my place.




1.4 GENERAL EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS

1.4.1 [ Don't you need a lot of stuff?]

If you cook, you probably already have most of the stuff that you need to
can (jar) high-acid foods. Basically, you need canning jars and 2-piece
lids (lids and rings), a large kettle or stock pot that you can boil water
in, several saucepans, measuring cups and spoons, light tongs (to pick up
the lids and rings), ladles, stirring spoons (stainless steel the best), an
accurate timer, clean towels, a cake rack, and canning tongs. As you get
more involved, other helpful tools are: canning funnel, clip-on candy
thermometer, lid lifter (a plastic rod with a magnet at the end of it),
boiling waterbath canner, preserving pan, and a pressure canner (not a
cooker). 2-piece jars can be found in the grocery, supermarket, and
hardware stores, while canners, canning tongs, jar lifters, and canning
funnels can be gotten at the local hardware store (or Walmart). Lots of
equipment can also be obtained at yard sales, check out the Specific
Equipment Question section for more information. What you really need is
a desire to can food, and a bit of a perfectionist streak. Carelessness,
disorganization, and inattention cause most problems.


* * * and a stove that can do the job:

  From Robb ([e-mail])
Let's first say that there are probably as many preferences for gas or
electric as there are cooks who truly utilize their equipment.

That said, my own personal preference is ALL electric.  My current
configuration is a glass top cooking surface containing two traditional
underglass coils and two quartz-halogen units. Newer glass top units are
far more responsive to rapid control changes than their predecessors.  The
quartz-halogen units are virtually "instant-on/instant-off".   All four
of my surface units are capable of bringing a stockpot of liquid to a boil
more quickly than the average home gas range, discounting the ultra-high
BTU output of commercial or semi-commercial units.  I also like the
glass enclosed surface units because they contribute less heat to the air
in the kitchen, keep the bottoms of all cooking vessels as clean as
possible, and are infinitely easier to care for than the myriad parts of
any gas range, regardless of quality or cost.  In short, it's a terrific
pleasure to cook and clean up after a meal. I will admit that complete
cooldown of the cooktop is somewhat longer than gas, but that factor
doesn't bother me.  By the time we've eaten our meal, the cooktop is
ready for cleaning.

Electric ovens are frequently noted for having more accurate temperature
control with less fluctuation.  Because they are sealed, they also
contribute far less heat to the kitchen area than their gas counterparts.
One advantage I particularly like is that food of any kind has less of a
tendency to dry out than it does in a gas oven.  Many professional bakers
prefer electric convection ovens for the above features as well as the
temperature stability throughout the entire oven.  I've read that there
are sometimes hot spots in the gas models. While I'm not at all fearful
of gas ovens, my preference for performance is decidedly for electric.
In conjunction with that, you might also consider the addition of a
warming oven (less space than two wall ovens, or could be mounted under
your cooktop), which I have found particularly helpful in maintaining
some completed dishes while continuing to cook those that require more
time.

If I had the room, one concession to gas I would certainly make is
including a down-draft gas grill. Nothing beats the flavor of flame
grilling.

1.4.3 [What's a preserving pan?]

A wide heavy-bottomed pan but with relatively shallow sides.

No longer recommended.  Use a BWB canner for thorough heating.

1.4.4 [My grandmother always reused commercial jars and sealed her jars
using paraffin. Should I do this too?]

Nothing against your grandmother, but usually you don't want to use "one-
trip" commercial jars for canning. Sealing jars with paraffin is also
counterindicated, because mold and other spoilers can slip in between the
paraffin and the side of the jar. Even a common trick of turning the jar
upside down to "sterilize" the top is not advised. [More on this below.]
(Use a boiling waterbath for about 5-10 minutes instead.) Food preserving
technique "rules" tend to change every few years, due to new knowledge
about microbiology and mycology, and due to rigorous testing of food
preservation recipes and techniques by many state extension services. Keep
up to date!

1.4.5 [Can I invert my jars instead of using that nasty waterbath thing?
(Nope).]

From: [e-mail] (Eric Decker) PFB (Putting Food By) says: "and
NEVER invert processed jars in the mistaken idea that you're helping the
seal - quite the contrary!" Page 264 of PFB, 4th edition debunks (in my
opinion) the 1/8" Inversion theory. My comments will be indicated as [ED]
"Unsaid in the news release but voiced by staff responding to telephoned
queries to the GF Consumer Center in White Plains, New York, the benefits
are that the jam/jelly - being still at a temperature to destroy spoiler
micro-organisms - will sterilize the underside of the sealing disk, and
the little amount of air trapped under the lid. [How filthy are the lids
and  jars before use? E.D.] A vacuum can form if the jars are hot and the
contents are about 165F/ 74C. But it won't be a STRONG vacuum, because any
amount of air left in the jar will invite growth of mould eventually -
even though the jar is technically sealed. While a vacuum formed for us
at PFB using the "inversion" method, the "inversion" vacuum was not so
strong as the vacuum seal on the B-W treated jars. This fact is a
reminder that the "finishing" Boiling-Water bath was welcomed by
scientists in the South, to counteract heat and humidity of storage
in the region; and soon it was adopted for dryer and more temperate
climates. [I'd vouch for this: I've canned in Seattle, where seals
formed easily, and in Tucson and North Carolina, where the seals took
their own sweet time in forming. Give me that finishing waterbath
every time-- LEB.] At the same time, food scientists determined that
5 minutes in a B-W bath was adequate (instead of a longer time advocated
earlier) to strengthen the seal and drive air from the headroom, and
sanitize the surfaces where micro-organisms could have lit. Presumably
the reason for standing the jars on their heads is to hold the hot
contents against the head and the sealing disk to equal the action of
the 5 minute B-W Bath. A further help would be to deal with floating
fruit as the medium gels; turned back upright, the contents would shake
down by themselves. The same results can be got by giving the jars a
twirl several times after they're set aside to cool upright after
their bath." (Note: in filing and capping the jars, we at PFB must have
left the bands a bit loose. After we inverted it, one jar spurted hot,
hot jelly over a hand in a mean scald. This indirect hazard can also
make "inversion" less than foolproof.) [Since the writers of PFB know
how to tighten a band properly, if bands have to be applied that tight,
deformation of the gum is almost certain unless the lids were applied
without a sterilization process which softens the gum. E.D.] "PFB is
not gainsaying General Foods just to be tiresome; we, too, used to
advocate the quick "inversion" with almost non-existent headroom -
(though never setting the jars upside-down, regarding this practice
as harking back too far to old-time ways with preserving) - so we
reverse our own recommendations, too.

Postscript: extension food scientists whose work we admire have
expressed their worries over the "inversion" technique used at
high altitudes and they are against it.

Post-Postscript: General Foods shows fairness in their news release in
saying they will continue to mention B-W Bath method as an alternative
on all their printed materials." [Conclusion: I feel it gives a false
security to the user of the "inversion" method. Neophytes especially
are at risk with this method for they do not have the experience to
make valid food judgements. It is far better then, to master the basic
proven techniques that work under all circumstances. Safe, reliable
canning is more of a procedure than just a recipe - ED]

1.4.6 [The dishwasher sterilizes jars, right? (Nope)]

An argument against thinking the dishwasher sterilizes, paraphrased from
Sandy Fifer : The water in the dishwasher is only as hot as the hot water
setting in your water heater. Most are set at power saver settings, 130F
or so, hottest settings are at 145F. Unless you set your water heater to
212F, you're deluding yourself.

And from Eric Decker : The typical dishwasher has an accumulation of crud
in the bottom that you don't even know is there. Unless the bottom spray
device is removed you have not seen the scraps of food which have not yet
dissipated to nothingness and passed through the filter. The dishwasher is
not a suitable device for preparing canning jars for use unless one adds
an active anti-germ agent such as chlorox [bleach]. Develop good habits.
The processes for sterilization of jar and lid must be inviolable and
independent of the canning process itself. My grandmother didn't have a
dishwasher so she scrubbed her bottles in a hot lye solution, rinsed them
in soft running water, then plucked each one of them from a pot of
simmering water to use immediately. It may seem silly to iterate it but
she always put the mouth of the jar to the bottom - the inside was sealed
from the outside and kept full of steam. Talk about a simple way to
maintain sterility!

[Since you have to use your boiling waterbath, I wash, then boil jars,
hold them when I need them, then I have a ready 2/3 canner of hot boiling
water. --LEB]

1.4.7  [ Can I use unlined copper pots in preserving? ]

Sue Harris wrote:

I have recently seen some unlined "copper jam pans" for sale, supposedly
to be used in making jam.  I am wondering if anyone here has had any
experience with these - - are they safe?  I thought that unlined copper
reacted with acidic foods (which fruit jam certainly would be!).


Arno Martens replied:

I always thought copper MUST be tinned (led, cadmium and antimony free)
before it could be used for ANY food, liquid or solid.

On Food and Cooking,  Harold McGee
"In 1753 Sweden outlawed the used of copper ( unlined is meant) cooking
pots in its armed service.  In the early 19Th century Britain issued
health warnings of the health hazards posed by pickles, beer, bakery
products and candies that had been prepared in copper vessels.

Copper   About 1/10 gram of this element is incorporated into the body,
with the highest concentrations in the liver and brain.  It plays a role
in the formation of hemoglobin and of phospholids, an is also involved in
bone development and energy production. Organ meats, shellfish, grains,
and most other seeds are good sources. Dietary deficiency  of copper is
rare, and excessive intake can cause damage to the liver, kidney, and
brain. For this reason, and because copper metal readily reacts with
many foods, the use of unlined copper utensils in not recommended."

Eric writes:

Consider that canned foods may be eaten by persons on medication.
This presents a great potential for unwanted, unknown and possibly
very dangerous side effects.

Certainly a copper load uptaken by a child from food prepared in an
un-lined copper pot would be more toxic than the same amount to an
adult.   No doubt the symptoms in that child would be never be seen
as copper poisoning but would be called colic, stubborn or something
else. In the middle aged and older adult the degeneration from
accumulation of copper would be seen as aging, the effects of having
lived life of consumption or simple dementia.
Live long, live well - use utensils which are safe.



1.4.8 - Can I use a propane "Cajun Cooker" style burner for canning?


Ross Reid wrote:

There are various makes of propane cookers on the market but they
basically fall into two types. There is a "ring" style burner and a "jet"
style burner. They are available with various Btu/hr ratings, right up to
200,000+ Btu/hr. The "ring" burner style normally falls into the lower
end of the range. I have one of each but, the "ring" burner is the one I
use almost exclusively. It has an input rating of 68,000 Btu/hr. The
average kitchen range surface burner runs from 8,000 to 12,000 Btu/hr so
you can see the advantage of the outdoor propane cooker in this respect.
Flame control on the "ring" style burner is excellent, from very low for
maintaining a nice simmer right up to a very energetic full rolling boil.
Ring burners also make far more efficient use of propane and, a big plus,
they are very quiet in use.

My "jet" burner is rated at 135,000 Btu/hr but, its flame is much harder
to control. Trying to maintain a nice gentle simmer is impossible. It is
far less efficient with respect to propane use and, if operated anywhere
near full output it sounds similar to an F-18 ;-(.

If you go shopping for a burner, it is quite easy to tell the two types
apart. The "ring" style is just like its name, the burner itself is a
ring, (sometimes more like a starfish), about 8 inches in diameter with
upwards of 100 small holes. They usually fall in the range of 35,000 to
70,000 Btu/hr ratings.

The burner in a "jet" style is only about 3 or 4 inches in diameter and
has a cast iron flame diffuser in the centre. This diffuser can best be
described as a multi-tiny-pointed star, usually with one screw in the
centre to hold it in place. These are the ones that can run up over
200,000 Btu/hr ratings.

I purchased my ring-style burner at a home improvement outlet here in
town called The Building Box. It was CDN $49.97 complete with regulator
and hose. The name plate on the unit lists the manufacturer as:
S.R. Potten Limited,
1645-50th Avenue,
Lachine, Quebec, Canada H8T 3C8
Phone [phone]


Zxcvbob ( not an anonymous name, per se - Bob's particulars is known to
this FAQ Maintainer) wrote:

In a welding class I took in college, I learned to only crack open the
valve on compressed fuel welding tanks, so you can shut off the valve
quickly in case of an accident.  This would be good advice when working
with portable propane tanks for operating these "Cajun Cooker" burners.
(Valves on high pressure non-fuel tanks, like oxygen, nitrogen, 3000 psi
air, carbon dioxide, are opened all the way becuase the valve has a
second seat that seals the packing when the valve is fully opened to
prevent a slow leak).

Best regards,
Bob

P.S.  Butane has about twice the BTU rating per pound as propane,
so if you can buy butane instead of propane for summer use, it is
usually a good deal.  In cold weather, butane does not have enough vapor
pressure to be useful.



1.5.1 [What about zinc rings, rubber sealed jars, and other great, but
antique, canning equipment?] A great question. Check out the answer under
Specific Equipment Questions.

1.5.2 [Ball or Kerr?] People have used both, and people have had problems
with either. In other words, whichever works for you. from Wendy Milner :
Canning jars such as those made by Kerr or by Ball, have special two-piece
lids. You should only use lids and jars made by the same company. While in
most cases you will get a seal when mixing brands, it is not guaranteed.
Additionally, if you are using an oil mixture in your recipe do not use
Kerr lids as the sealing compound on the lids has been shown to loose its
effectiveness as the oil seeps into it. [As of 3/96, the point is moot.
Ball bought out both Bernardin and Kerr. Soon the lid gum composition and
amounts on the lid will be similar.]

[1998 -  the Kerr lids and Bernardin are still different in use ]

1.5.3 [Rings on the jar, or off?]
Pros and cons of each side:
Pro ring: "looks" more natural, secures the lid if you are mailing canning
jars or storing leftovers in the refrigerator. I like the ring on when I
mail/give something.  [ Absolutely - there must be some _insurance_ the
lid will not be loosened with the result of untold ruination - ED]

Con ring: can reuse ring quickly, rings don't rust on
jar, doesn't hide dirty threads or a weak seal. Other ring facts: rings
have to be off if the canned good is to be judged at a county/state fair.
Rings shouldn't be removed until the seal is allowed to fully develop,
about 12-24 hrs. Gamut of opinions: From [e-mail] (Eric Decker)
... "the best canners will NEVER store food with bands on". It is a point
of pride with those canners that their process does not need "nails and
glue" to maintain its integrity. Get thee to an Amish or Mennonite
food/bake sale... Yes, removing bands is the default condition in serious
canning. Heck my grandmother canned a lot of meat and fish. Never did I see
a banded jar in her cellar. Take a peek in my cellar: I have bottles of
fruit in alcohol that have been there since 1986 without bands.
[e-mail] (Sandy Fifer) wrote: What's all the hubbub about
leaving the bands on after canning? When I'm done canning my jam I remove
the bands, wash the jars (sometimes they're sticky from some jam leaking
into the canning water), dry them, test the seal by lifting by the lid, and
then loosely replace the bands. Once the jar is opened you need the band to
seal it anyway, don't you? And don't you give a band with each jar when
you're giving the jars away? And when I'm done with the jam I wash the jar
and store it with the band. All of you who remove the bands--where do they
spend the winter? From: [e-mail] (Jackee) After our
canned goods have sealed we always remove the bands, wash and use again. My
father says that was what his grandmother always did, so we just do the
same. They did it because they were dirt poor, why we do I am not sure.
From: [e-mail] (Jean P Nance) I find that removing the screw
caps, washing them, and storing them dry pre- vents rust. It seems if I
leave them on, they are much more apt to rust and rust interferes with a
seal. Rust and corrosion are especially bad in rings on pickles, where some
of the acid seems to seep out and collect on the ring.

1.5.4 [What if I don't hear a pop from my jars?] [And is there a way to be
sure they are sealed since I didn't hear that magic noise? --Nancy Delly
>From George Shirley < >: Nancy: Be sure the center of the lid is depressed,
generally that means they are sealed unless some mean person pushed them
all down while you weren't looking. I've found that if the lid didn't seal
it will usually fall off when you remove the band, but is sealed if the
center is depressed. I don't have time to listen to each individual jar.
>From Mary Delamater <>: My jars often don't pop, so I just check to see if
the lids are concave. It usually happens pretty quickly after water
bathing. Also, if I'm not sure, sometimes I will remove the ring and hold
the jar by the lid--if it stays on, it's sealed! (Be sure to put your other
hand under the jar in case it is not sealed, or you will have a big mess to
clean up :-) )

1.5.5 [I'm really cheap. How can I reuse my canning lids?] Penny-wise and
pound-foolish. The botulism antiserum shot costs a *lot* more than the
$10-$20 cost of a few dozen lids. As a public service, from the home office
in Grand Rapids MI, the top ten Things You Can Do With Old Canning Lids.

10. Windchimes
9. Coasters for the vacation house
8. Really boring mobiles
7. Palm protectors for smashing garlic cloves
6. Train your pet Chihuahua to catch teeny metal frisbees
5. 2 canning lids + 1 HD disk = yummy sandwich for your favorite USENET
FAQ maintainer
4. With tin snips, create several dollhouse-sized cookie sheets
3. Sharpen the edges, make the business end of a pizza cutter
2. Glue several canning lids into 1 slinky to contact those pesky
Venusians
1. Several hundred canning lids, stitched together make the perfect
dress for your Oscar acceptance speech... (those brass ones look
great, much better than AMEX cards!)

Seriously, there are some things you can do with old canning lids. You
might not realize this, but lids and the mouths of jars/cans are of a
fairly standard size. The Kerr lids for the narrow neck pints/half pints
fit many commercial jars, like spaghetti sauce and mayonnaise jars, even
those medium size salsa jars. I've found that the wide mouth ones fit large
tomato sauce cans. It means that if you store dried peas, lentils, beans,
pasta, sugars, flours, nuts, seeds, your dried vegetables, dried fruit,
jerky, dried herbs, fruit leather, etc. in reused commercial glass jars,
you always have a lid. Poke many large holes in an old canning lid, use the
lid/ring/jar as a jar strainer for bean and alfalfa sprouts. If you're like
me, and you cut the can lid off completely but you don't use all the
contents, you still always have a lid. If your jars have great seals, and
you have to completely des- troy the lid of a particular home-processed
can, you've still got a spare lid when you put it in the refrigerator. If
your SO has a workshop, and organ- izes screws, nails, loose change, spare
RAM chips, matches, etc in glass jars, your SO has a lid. Just don't can
with them, and if you save old lids, mark 'em well so you don't get
confused. Scratches on the top with a corkscrew do it for me, you even get
planned obsolescence that way. And for god sakes, don't pawn 'em off at a
yard sale.

1.5.6 [How do I use a pressure canner safely and effectively?] from Wendy
Milner : As with the boiling water bath, you prepare your food according to
a tested recipe, place the food in the jar, put on the two piece lid, and
place the jars in the canner which has 2 to 3 inches of water in it. The
water should be hot but not boiling. Place the lid on the canner. The
petcock or vent of the lid is open. As the water boils, steam will rise out
of the petcock. When steam is steady, wait 10 minutes before closing the
petcock. There are two types of gauge: weighted and dial. The weighted
gauge has three positions: 5 pounds, 10 pounds and 15 pounds. Always use
the higher weight if the recipe calls for a weight in between one of these
values. For example, the recipe calls for 12 pounds of pressure, use 15
pounds.  With a weighted gauge, place the gauge on the vent using the
correct weight. Leave the temperature on high until the weighted gauge
begins to rock. Lower the temperature. You will have to experiment a little
with the temperature. You want the weighted gauge to rock lightly
throughout the processing time. Start the processing time when the gauge is
rocking at about 2 to 3 times a minute. [N.B. If your gauge refuses to
rock, check to see if your stove is perfectly leveled.-the gang at r.f.p]
The dial gauge canner has a dial which registers from zero to 20 pounds.
You should have your gauge tested every year by the local extension office.
The advantage to a dial gauge is that you can see exactly what the pressure
of the canner is during processing. With a dial gauge, close the petcock
and watch the dial. When the dial has reached the proper pressure, reduce
the temperature. Maintain the pressure throughout the processing time.
Start the processing time when the correct pressure has been met. If you
live above 1000' feet you must increase the pressure for processing. For
every 1000' feet add 1/2 pound of pressure. You do NOT add time to the
processing, only pressure. At the end of the processing time, turn off
the heat. Do not open the lid or vents. It will take about an hour for
the pressure to drop inside the canner. Wait till pressure reaches zero,
or the safety valve drops before opening the lid. Open the lid away from
you. There will still be steam rising from the water and it is easy to
scald yourself. Remove the jars from the canner. Place them on a towel
on the counter and leave them alone for 12 to 24 hours before checking
the seal. Do not check before the 12 hours as this could cause the jars
to not seal. Sealing is the result of heating and then cooling the jars.
[For more about pressure canners especially information about the
vagaries of the gauges, please checkout the Equipment Section in part
4 of this FAQ.]

1.5.7 [I'd like some sources for non-standard size jars, decorative
bottles, unusual size rings, and other items that I just can't find in the
usual places.] Zlotka : Berlin Packaging has a great catalog of containers
for all manner of things. 1-800-4-BERLIN will get you a free catalog. Good
customer service, too. lost the attribution here, sorry.. You might try
Glashaus. They have some big jar sizes, the largest rings I have from them
are 4.25" at the outside. They are at Glashaus Inc./ Crystal Lake,IL
[phone].

1.5.8 [ Pump N Seal, Has anyone used these?]

Connie TC wrote:

"Pump and Seal ( the hand operated vacuum pump, right?) I found that it
did seal jars fine but I didn't like putting a hole in lids-they seemed
to rust easily.  But for plastic bags, while it could draw a vacuum it
was hard to get the bag closed before you lost it and the vacuum wasn't
as good as one from the Tilia vacuum and bag sealer machine, which I got
last year and really like."

Jay Heyl wrote:

"It does fine on jars, assuming you have a good seal around the rim.  I
use it all the time for dry goods stored in canning jars.

With bags I would recommend going some other way.  The Pump-n-Seal pulls
enough vacuum, but you need to be an octopus to work the pump, maneuver
the hose inside the bag, and then seal the top of the bag.  There's also
the small problem that Zip-Locks are not vacuum tight."



1.6 TROUBLESHOOTING

1.6.1 [My jars refuse to seal! Some of my preserved food is turning colors!
What is happening?]

---- PROBLEMS WITH HOME-CANNED FOODS-----------

Even when you follow directions, occasionally you may have problems with
home-canned foods. Many of these problems can be traced to use of
non-standard canning jars, lids and rings or use of other-than-recommended
canning equipment or procedures. Checking your equipment and reviewing
current canning recommendations can go a long way towards preventing
potential problems. If you do have a problem, you may be able to determine
the cause and prevent its reoccurrence by consulting this
"trouble-shooter's guide".

1. Jars do not seal

a. Off-standard jars and/or lids.
b. Chipped or uneven sealing edge.
c. Using one-piece caps instead of two-piece lids.
d. Screwbands are rusty or bent providing poor contact.
e. Bands not screwed down tightly enough before processing.
f. Sealing edge not clean. Wipe edge well before placing lid on rim.
g. Liquid siphons out of jar during processing taking food particles on
to the sealing edge.
h. Insufficient heat during processing. Air is not evacuated from jar, so
a vacuum seal never forms. [In pressure canning the EXHAUAST phase is
critical -ED]
i. Lids were improperly prepared before placing them on rims. Most lid
manufacturers require some pretreatment (heating, boiling, etc.).  [ Use
lid strictly according to the manufacturers specifications.  There are
significant differences between the lids of various manufacturers. -ED]
j. Rapid, forced cooling of a pressure canner can cause a rapid pressure
and temperature change inside the canner causing the liquid to "boil" out
of the jars, leaving particles on the sealing rim and unsealing the jars.
Canners should not be "forced" into cooling rapidly by submerging [ no
dousing or spraying either - ED] them in water or by adding ice.
k. Insufficient processing of raw-packed food; the air may not have
been completely driven out of the food leaving residual air in the jar
so the seal does not form. l. Use of canning procedures which are not
recommended such as open kettle canning, microwave canning, and oven
canning. Use USDA recommended procedures.


2. Food spoils

a. Processing at an incorrect temperature.  Can occur with:

1. Inaccurate pressure canner gauge.
2.Failure to exhaust canner.
3. Failure to make altitude adjustment.
4. Heat source fluctuates--inaccurate pressure or fluctuating pressure.
5. Water not at a rolling boil when jars are put into canner.
6. Water not covering jar caps by 2" throughout processing.
7. Water not at full boil throughout processing.
8. Insufficient processing time.
9. Use of canning procedures which are not recommnended. Recommended
procedures (USDA) are based on the time it takes to achieve a temperature
which will sterilize the food in the jar.

b. Improper cooling of jars after processing.

 1. Failure to remove jars from canner when processing time is up (or
when pressure gauge reads 0).
2. Failure to set jars at least 1" apart during cooling.
3. Covering jars which retains heat. Vacuum does not develop.
4. Attempting to cool either the canner or the jars very rapidly.

c. Using damaged (freeze damaged), spoiled, under ripe or over ripe food.
The pH may not be correct for the type of processing you used (water bath
versus pressure).

d. Very large number of microorganisms due to spoilage, bruising, etc. A
very large number of microorganisms present on the food which are not
destroyed in the usually recommended amount of processing time.

3. Food loses liquid during processing

a. Jars filled too full.
b. Fluctuating pressure in a pressure canner.
c. Forced cooling of a pressure canner.

4. Food turns dark (not spoiled)
a. Insufficient processing time.
b. Processing temperature too low (water not at a full boil at beginning
of processing or drops below full boil during processing).
c. Water not 2" over jar lids.
d. Packing foods raw that should be precooked (pears).
e. Liquid loss during processing causing fruit at the top to be out of the
liquid.
f. Lack of appropriate pretreatment for light-colored foods.

5. Fruit or tomatoes float or separate from the liquid
a. Using overripe fruit. b. Packing fruit too loosely.
c. Syrup too heavy.
d. Processing too long. Pectin is damaged.
e. Processing at too high a temperature (pressure canner).
f. Raw packing. Raw food contains a lot of air.
g. Smashing or pureeing food prior to heating it activates enzymes which
break down pectin in the juice so the food pieces are lighter and rise to
the top. Heat or crush while heating any foods to be pureed or food to be
packed in its own juice to help prevent separation.

Prepared by Susan Brewer/Foods and Nutrition
Specialist/Revised, 1992 EHE-665 ----

PROBLEMS IN HOME-CANNED FRUITS

Fruit darkens at the top of the jar:
a. Liquid didn't cover the fruit--pigments become oxidized.
b. Fruit not processed long enough to destroy enzymes.
c. Air left in jars permits oxidation (bubbles or too much headspace).
Fresh fruit exposed to air oxidizes.
d. Exposure to high temperatures and light during storage.
Color changes in canned apples, pears, peaches, quinces: Pink, red, blue
or purple color--natural enzymatic reaction (not harm- ful) which may occur
during cooking, or a result of a chemical reaction between fruit pigments
and metal ions (iron and copper). Use soft water, stainless steel cookware,
plastic or wooden utensils.


Fruit floats in the jar:
a. Fruit is lighter than syrup. Use lighter syrup, cook fruit before
packing.
b. Improper packing. Pack fruit tightly without crushing. Use hot pack
method.
c. Fruit is overprocessed. Too much heat destroys pectin and acid, so
the fruit loses its shape and floats.
d. Fruit is packed too loosely.

Fruit Spoilage:
a. Overpacking. Heat penetration is poor and food does not become
sterilized.
b. Poor selection of fruit (over ripe, wrong pH, large bruises).
c. Underprocessing. Food is not sterilized.
d. Unsanitary conditions. Microorganisms are not removed from the food or
larger numbers are added during preparation. Clean up as you go. Wash
equipment, utensils and hands in hot soapy water.

Prepared by Susan Brewer/Foods and Nutrition
Specialist/Revised, 1992 ----

COLOR CHANGES IN HOME-CANNED FOODS

The pigments in food which are responsible for their colors are sensitive
to a variety of things which they may come into contact with during home
food preservation. Acids (lemon or other fruit juices), anti-caking
ingredients in table salt, minerals in water, metals in water and from
cooking utensils, heat, and light are a few things which can affect
these pigments causing them to change color. Most color changes which
occur during home food preservation do not make the food unsafe to
consume. Hhowever, if the food looks or smells bad or odd, do not take
a chance, dispose of it without tasting it.

1. Blue garlic: Occurs in pickled products. Caused by using immature
garlic or because table salt was used in place of canning salt. Not a
safety hazard.

2. Yellow cauliflower: Cauliflower (or other white vegetable pigments)
are white in acid but yellow in alkaline medium. Minerals in the water
may have created a more-than-normal alkalinity. Not a safety hazard.

3. Yellow crystals in canned asparagus: the crystals are glucosides
(rutin) which were in the asparagus cells before canning. The high
temperature of pressure canning causes them to come out of the
vegetables into solution, but when the food cools, the pigment
precipitates out of solution onto the the asparagus. Occurs mainly in
asparagus in glass jars. If asparagus is canned in tin cans, a pigment-tin
complex form so the yellow pigment stays in the liquid. Not a safety hazard.

4. Pink pears: the light colored pigments in the pears convert to pink
pigments due to overprocessing or due to enzymatic reactions. Not a
safety hazard.

5. White crystals on tomato products: home-canned pureed tomato products
may have crystals of calcium nitrate on the surface. They are hard and
scaly unlike mold spots. Not a safety hazard.

6. White crystals on spinach leaves: calcium oxalate - not a safety hazard.

7. White or pink crystals in grape jelly: Grapes are high in tartaric
acid which goes into solution during cooking but precipitates as crystals
during cooling. Prevent crystals by extracting grape juice, cooling
overnight in the refrigerator and filtering juice before canning or using
for jelly-making. Not a safety hazard.

8. White, yellow, or pale red beets: the red pigments in beets
(anthocyanins) are sensitive to high temperatures. Some beet varieties
are especially sensitive. The pigments are converted to white or
colorless derivatives. Not a safety hazard.

9. Blue pickled beets: the pigments in beets are pH-sensitive. They are
red in acids and blue in alkalis. If the pigments are blue, the pH is too
high for water-bath canning to be safe. Throw the beets away (handle
according to spoiled food procedures).

10. Brown green beans: enzymatic color changes occurring before the
enzymes are inactivated by heat cause the green-to-brown color change of
chlorophyll. Blanching or hot-packing will inactivate the enzymes and
help preserve the green color. Not a safety hazard.

11. Brown potatoes: storage of potatoes at temperatures below 45F causes
the potato starch to be converted to sugars. During high heat treatment of
pressure canning, these sugars form dark brown pigments. Not a safety
hazard.

12. Colorless crystals which look like broken glass in canned sea foods.
Not  harmful.

Prepared by Susan Brewer/Foods and Nutrition Specialist/Revised, 1992
EHE-666

1.6.2 [My jams and jellies didn't set. How can I reprocess them?] From:
Barb Schaller Here are three ways to rescue syrupy jams or jellies. From
General Foods, makers of Sure Jell pectin products and Certo liquid pectin.

USING SURE JELL FOR LOWER SUGAR RECIPES: Prepare containers as you normally
would have (hot jars and lids). Prepare Pectin Mixture: Slowly stir
contents of 1 package Sure Jell for Lower Sugar Recipes (SJ-LSR) into 1-1/2
cups cold water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat;
continue to boil 2 minutes, stirring con- stantly. Remove from heat.
Prepare Trial Batch: 1 cup your jam or jelly, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. Pectin
Mixture. Measure jam or jelly, sugar, and the Pectin Mix into small (1-qt)
saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil on high heat; continue to boil 30
seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with
metal spoon. Quickly pour into prepared jar. Cover jar and let stand up to
24 hours to check set of Trial Batch. Store remaining Pectin Mix in fridge.
Prepare Remainder of Batch: DO NOT TRY TO REMAKE MORE THAN 8 CUPS OF JAM OR
JELLY AT ONE TIME. If Trial Batch sets satisfactorily, follow the recipe
above, using the listed amounts of Pectin Mixture and sugar for EACH 1 cup
of jam or jelly. (Not going to repeat previous instructions.--BS) For
convenience in measuring larger amounts of Pectin Mixture and sugar: 8
Tbsp. = 1/2 cup. 16 Tbsp = 1 cup. (Even I could do that math! :-)
"Remember, if your jam or jelly still doesn't set, you can always use it as
a glaze or syrup.

" USING SURE JELL POWDERED FRUIT PECTIN: Prepare Containers as usual (hot
jars and lids). Prepare Pectin Mixture: Slowly stir contents of 1 package
SJ and 3/4 cup cold water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium
heat; continue to boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Prepare Trial Batch: Same as for SJ-LSR instructions, above. Prepare
Remainder of Batch: Same as for SJ-LSR above. (Same comment about glaze,
too. :-) USING CERTO Liquid Fruit Pectin: Prepare Containers: Same as usual
(hot jars and lids). Prepare Trial Batch: (Pay attention, this is
different.....) 1 cup your sorry jam or jelly, 3 Tbsp. sugar, 1-1/2 tsp.
fresh lemon juice (I do use fresh), 1-1/2 tsp. Certo. Measure jam or jelly
into small saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring
constantly. Immediately stir in sugar, lemon juice and Certo. Bring to full
rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off
foam, blah, blah, blah. Quickly pour into prepared jar, blah, blah, blah.
Store opened pouch of Certo in refrigerator. (Blah, blah, blah - follow
standard procedure for sealing the jars, and for g'sakes, don't sneeze in
the jar.--LEB) Prepare Remainder of Batch: Do not try to make more than 8
cups of jam or jelly at one time. If Trial Batch sets satisfactorily,
follow the recipe above, using the listed amounts of sugar, lemon juice,
and Certo for EACH 1 cup of jam or jelly. Measure jam or jelly, sugar,
lemon juice and Fruit Pectin into large (6 to 8-quart) saucepot. Bring to a
full rolling boil on high heat; continue to boil 1 minute, stirring
constantly (this is DIFFERENT than trial batch.) Remove from heat, skim
foam, ladle into jars, blah, blah, blah. After pre- paring remainder of
batch, discard Certo in opened pouch. (Same commentary about glazes and
syrup.) For convenience in measuring larger amounts of sugar, lemon juice
and Fruit Pectin: 3 tsp. = 1 Tbsp., 8 Tbsp. = 1/2 cup, 16 Tbsp. = 1 cup.
There! From "Gifts from the Harvest, Homemade Jams and Jellies, from the
makers of SureJell and Certo." A 62-page booklet with beyond-the-basics
recipes for sweet spreads. Got it as a freebie at our State Fair one year.

1.6.3 [Anybody have a way to loosen up stiff jelly?]

From: [e-mail] (Kate Wrightson) If it's jelly, try to
maneuver a biggish glob (ooh, technical term) out of the jar and into a
small Pyrex custard cup. Add a tablespoon or so of warm water and microwave
it until the jelly begins to melt; stir and add extra water if needed to
make a smooth semi-thick liquid. This becomes a glaze for whatever sorts of
meats you might cook: chicken, game birds, roasts, turkey breasts.... The
obvious combos are peach glaze on pork, cherry on pork, apple on pork
(oops, and we don't even eat all that much pork; suffice it to say that
pork goes well with any fruit glaze), strawberry or any berry on cornish
hens, kiwi on chicken breasts, etc.


2. FREEZING

2.1 GENERAL QUESTIONS

2.1.1 [What do I *really* need to know about freezing?]

Freezing is preserving food using low temperatures--generally at
temperatures around 0 F/-18 C. Freezing generally inhibits both microbial
growth (doesn't generally kill, though) and many protease/enzyme actions
in the food itself.

You need to decide whether or not to blanch or process food, how to wrap
food to prevent freezer burn, what foods freeze well, and what to do when
the power goes out.

FROZEN FOODS

Food is safe from spoilage AS LONG AS IT STAYS FROZEN. Microorganisms
can start to grow as soon as food begins to thaw. To keep microbial growth
at a minimum, frozen foods should be thawed in the refrigerator. Thawed
food may be refrozen IF ICE CRYSTALS ARE STILL PRESENT IN THE FOOD.
Refreezing often changes the quality of food (texture, color, flavor).
Foodborne illness causing microorganisms may not be killed by freezing,
so the safety of the food will be no better than the condition of the
food which was frozen.

(section taken from Susan Brewer, from cesgopher.ag.uiuc.edu). [Symptoms
of food poisoning are discussed in Section IV. Spoilage--LEB]


2.1.1.1 - Tips on how to choose a freezer