Major canning mistakes can be potentially deadly. Minor mistakes can cause loss of not only
your finished product, but of your hard earned money and valuable time. However, deadly and not-so-deadly mistakes
can be avoided by following some simple rules by Kathleen Riggs, of the USU
Extension office, in her March 2009 article on food preservation.[1] A few of the more dangerous errors she lists are
as follows:
Making up your own
canning recipe – This is a HUGE “no-no,” because without scientific
testing, you will not know how long the product needs to be processed in order
to be safe. There are only three books
in which to find safe, USDA approved recipes for food preservation: USDA Guide to Home Canning, the Ball
Blue Book and So Easy to Preserve.
Altering a recipe by
adding extras – Adding extra starch, flour or other thickeners will slow
the rate of heat penetration and can result in undercooking. Adding extra onions, chilies, bell peppers or
other vegetables to salsas can dilute the acidity and cause botulism. Remember that USDA approved recipes have been
tested repeatedly to ensure they are safe. Any alterations to a recipe make it
unsafe.* (Please see below for exceptions).
Not adjusting for
altitude – All USDA-approved canning recipes are tested at sea-level. If the altitude where you live is higher than
sea-level then you need to increase your processing times, otherwise you will
end up with an under-processed product.
Pressure canning requires adding more pounds of pressure, while
water-bath canning requires more time to process. If you are unsure of your specific altitude,
contact your local extension office and they can give you that information.
A few common minor canning mistakes listed by Kathleen are
as follows:
Use of paraffin on
jams & jellies – Small air holes can occur in the paraffin, allowing
mold growth. If this happens, the
recommendation is not to eat the product, but to throw it out. Paraffin can also catch fire if overheated
during preparation.
Cooling product too
slowly after removing from canner – If you stack jars too close together,
it may not allow for adequate cooling, since it will keep your jars hot for a
lengthy period of time after processing.
Thermophiles, organisms that can survive canning, are not harmful, but
they will produce acid, resulting in fermentation under these conditions. If this happens, your food will have an
undesirable flavor.
Storing food
improperly – Keeping bottled items longer than recommended or storing them
at temperatures above 70° F for an extended period of time will decrease their
quality. The product will still be safe
to eat, but the color and texture can change, resulting in an unappetizing
appearance.
*Exceptions to the
General Rules:
·
Changing salt levels in anything except
pickles. Salt acts as a preservative
and adds flavor and crispness to pickles.
In other foods it is mainly used as a flavoring agent and is added as a personal preference.
·
Changing sugar levels in syrups used for
canned fruit. Sugar helps fruit
retain a bright color and firm texture, but it is not necessary for safety.
·
Adding EXTRA vinegar or lemon juice. Bottled acids help obtain required pH (acid
levels) in tomatoes and pickles. If a
more tart or sour flavor is desired, more vinegar, lemon or lime juice may be
added.
·
Decreasing any vegetable EXCEPT tomatoes in
salsas. Salsa recipes have been
tested to ensure that they contain enough acid to be safely processed in a
boiling water-bath canner. This acid is
provided by the correct amount of tomatoes.
The addition of vegetables has also been calibrated to balance the acid
level. While it is dangerous to add more vegetables to salsa recipes, fewer may be
used for a milder flavor.
·
Substituting bell peppers, long green peppers
or jalapeno peppers for each other in salsa recipes. So long as the total amount of peppers
remains the same (or fewer) as what is listed in the tested recipe, peppers may
be interchanged.
No comments:
Post a Comment