Let’s Get Ready to Preserve!

Today’s topics:

• Why preserve foods? • What are the basic food

preservation guidelines?

• What resources are available to

help you get started on a successful food preservation season?

Take a minute to consider…….

Why do we preserve foods?

Why Preserve Foods?

• Increase the shelf life of food. • Provide convenience. • Retain the nutritional value. • Improve how food tastes. • And because it’s fun!

Canning, Freezing and Drying

…… Which method will you choose?

Our aim: safe, high quality food.

Fight Food Spoilage

• Prevent mold, yeast and

bacteria from growing on your food

• Prevent bruising and wilting • Prevent changes in flavor

and texture

Microbial Spoilage

• F

ood

• A

cidity

• T

ime

• T

emp

• O

xygen

• M

oisture

F A T = Food or Nutrients = Acid or pH = Time T O M = Temperature = Oxygen = Moisture

F A T = Food or Nutrients = Acid or pH = Time T O M = Temperature = Oxygen = Moisture

Controlling Microbes

Question time??

Food Preservation Canning- foods are placed in jars or cans and heated to a temperature that destroys microbes and inactivates enzymes. Pickling- foods are fermented or acid is added for preservation Jams and Jellies- high sugar content binds moisture Freezing-used cold temperatures to preserve food Drying- removes moisture to stop microbial growth

A word about canning…

• Spores of Clostridium botulinum are naturally found in soil • Botulism toxin can be produced in low-acid canned food that is not properly heated • Low-acid foods include vegetables, meat, cheese, tomatoes

+

More About Canning…

1 Low-acid food 1 Water Bath Canner + UNSAFE 1 Low-acid food 1 Pressure Canner SAFE!

Question time??

A Survey of Home Canning

• 27% reported home canning in 1999 • 48% got recipes from friends or relatives • 67% used recipes ‘as is’; 29% adapted • 71% canned veggies, 60% tomatoes, 47% fruit • Some respondents are at high risk for illness

STOP… don’t harm your family with these canning methods

• BWC low-acid

food

• Open-kettle

canning

• Oven canning

And now a word about…canners vs cookers Pressure canners and pressure cooker are NOT necessarily the same thing.

Pressure cookers are NOT recommended for home canning.

Question time??

Will preserving food at home save you money?

Getting Started…Equipment

• Assemble BW and pressure canners • Check dial gauges and rubber gaskets • Inspect jars & lids • Purchase freezer containers • Clean your dehydrator

Getting Started…Produce

• Harvest at the proper stage of maturity • Discard diseased produce • Rapidly chill harvested produce

Getting Started…Recipes Use ONLY research tested recipes!

Sources of Recipes for Home Canning

• Wisconsin Safe Food

Preservation series

• Ball Blue Book (1997) • So Easy to Preserve (1999) • USDA Complete Guide to Home

Canning (1994)

Leave the creativity behind when home canning!

Getting Started…Resources

Question time??

Canning and Preserving for Special Diets

• Choose recipes that don’t

require sugar or salt for safety

• Read the recipe carefully • Don’t choose your own

substitutions

How Long Does It Keep?

Canned foods- 1 year Frozen foods- meats 3 to 9 months, fruits and vegetables 1 year Dried foods- fruits and meat 6 months, and vegetables 1 year

Publications: Safe Canning Methods – B2718 Using and Caring for a Pressure Canner - B2593 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation series publications

Next Time: Tuesday, May 31 10-11 am Storing Fruits and Vegetables Tips on handling fresh fruits and vegetables for safe, high quality storage.