Food Safety

Added acid is always required when canning tomatoes Once upon a time, tomatoes were considered a high-acid fruit. But research has since shown that they are, in fact, variable in acidity, with pH levels sometimes going higher than 4.6, the dividing line between high-acid and low-acid foods – and the…

Canning previously frozen tomatoes is not safe in all situations When your vines are producing tomatoes like crazy (or the farmers markets have end-of-season bargains that are simply too good to pass up), keeping up with canning them before the fruits become overripe or spoil can be a challenge…

Tomatoes from frost-killed vines are not for canning As the weather turns cooler and overnight temperatures dip, you may find yourself scrambling to pick the last of your tomato crop. If a frost kills the vines before you get to them all, are the remaining fruits safe for canning? The short answer is no…

Lower acidity in overripe tomatoes makes them unsafe to can Care should always be taken when choosing produce for canning. It should be fresh, of good quality, and not overripe. This is especially important for tomatoes. The acidity of tomatoes varies during the growing season, and if overripe, they can…

Vinegar powder is a versatile condiment, but it is not for canning Vinegar powder is dehydrated vinegar to which carrying or bulking ingredients are added (such as maltodextrin, which is a modified corn starch). Available in white, apple cider, malt, and other vinegar types, these powders are used by…

Safe food handling helps prevent illness  All fruits and vegetables should be washed prior to consuming. But raw meat, poultry or fish should NOT be washed. This may seem counter-intuitive or contrary to what you’ve previously been taught, but times change and so do food handling recommendations. …

Quick tips for handling fresh fruits and vegetables All fruits and vegetables should be washed prior to consuming, even if the skins or rinds won’t be eaten. Washing produce helps to remove dirt and bacteria not only from surfaces, but also prevents bacteria from being carried into the food when cut…

Choose only yellow peaches and nectarines for canning Food safety research is happening all the time, with results sometimes dictating changes in home canning recommendations. It’s for this reason that we always advise following recent recipes published from reputable sources. One such fairly…

Button mushrooms yes; wild mushrooms no. Mushrooms are a low-acid food. To be safely canned, they must be properly acidified (pickled) or processed in a pressure canner.There are other safety considerations as well: Only domestic button mushrooms may be safely canned. Wild mushrooms (whether wild…

Monica Gross, Los Angeles Co., Online Delivery Program VolunteerDehydration is one of the earliest preservation methods developed by humankind. There is evidence from Middle Eastern and Asian cultures that dehydration was used as a method of preservation as far back as 12,000 BCE. The hot sun was harnessed…