Garden Green
12-17-2008, 12:59 AM
There is nothing like cracking open a jar of home canned tomatoes that have speckles of green basil all through them. Mmmm. Just love it! But the finished product has a long way to go before one can be proud of that jar. A large portion of it is canning safely.
It is important to follow the guidelines for canning the different fruits and vegetables because of one little food borne bacteria in particular called botulism (Clostridium botulinum) and during its life cycle, it actually produces a neuro-toxin. This is some pretty serious stuff causing a host of symptoms: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, muscle weakness and death. It can be treated with anti-toxins and other medical treatments.
Food borne botulism prefers a low acid environment where the pH is 4.5 or less. This means that high acid foods can be canned in a less intensive manner; a water bath. This includes foods such as: apples, apricots, berries, jams, jellies, peaches, pears, pickles, sauerkraut, tomatoes, and others.
But foods that aren't high in acid will require pressure to raise the temperature of contents of the jar high enough to kill off the spores that can cause botulism and other microorganisms. Foods such as asparagus, beans, beets, carrots, corn, mushrooms, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, squash, and any meat.
Most of the time it is apparent when canning did not go as expected. Look for bulging lids or a seeping seal and when purchasing canned items from the grocery store, make sure the can isn't dented, weak points can allow contaminates in the tin. Discoloration of the food, cloudiness in the liquid in the jar, visible mold growing on the surface of the food. All reasons not to crack that can open and consume the contents. Not even heating the food to a boil and keeping it there will be able to save contaminated food as botulism is only a byproduct of the life cycle of Clostridium botulinum not the actual organism itself.
Another key element is to store your canned food properly. Cool, dark places are best because if any of those little suckers managed to survive, they won't thrive in that type of environment. These same places also help to preserve the nutritional value and flavor of your home made goodies.
Be safe in your canning. Don't just consider the cleanliness of your work area, the washing and boiling of jars and lids, but also the type of food you're preserving and it's acid content.
It is important to follow the guidelines for canning the different fruits and vegetables because of one little food borne bacteria in particular called botulism (Clostridium botulinum) and during its life cycle, it actually produces a neuro-toxin. This is some pretty serious stuff causing a host of symptoms: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, muscle weakness and death. It can be treated with anti-toxins and other medical treatments.
Food borne botulism prefers a low acid environment where the pH is 4.5 or less. This means that high acid foods can be canned in a less intensive manner; a water bath. This includes foods such as: apples, apricots, berries, jams, jellies, peaches, pears, pickles, sauerkraut, tomatoes, and others.
But foods that aren't high in acid will require pressure to raise the temperature of contents of the jar high enough to kill off the spores that can cause botulism and other microorganisms. Foods such as asparagus, beans, beets, carrots, corn, mushrooms, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, squash, and any meat.
Most of the time it is apparent when canning did not go as expected. Look for bulging lids or a seeping seal and when purchasing canned items from the grocery store, make sure the can isn't dented, weak points can allow contaminates in the tin. Discoloration of the food, cloudiness in the liquid in the jar, visible mold growing on the surface of the food. All reasons not to crack that can open and consume the contents. Not even heating the food to a boil and keeping it there will be able to save contaminated food as botulism is only a byproduct of the life cycle of Clostridium botulinum not the actual organism itself.
Another key element is to store your canned food properly. Cool, dark places are best because if any of those little suckers managed to survive, they won't thrive in that type of environment. These same places also help to preserve the nutritional value and flavor of your home made goodies.
Be safe in your canning. Don't just consider the cleanliness of your work area, the washing and boiling of jars and lids, but also the type of food you're preserving and it's acid content.