The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [60]
Yes, since sugar isn’t used as a preservative in frozen food. However, artificial sweeteners do not help the fruit maintain taste and texture as sugar does. To use artificial sweeteners, follow the directions on the package.
Why is my fruit sometimes mushy when thawed?
If fruits are frozen slowly, large ice crystals form and rupture cell walls, causing mushy fruit. For best results, freeze quickly and serve just as ice crystals are disappearing.
Drying Questions
Why did my dried food become moldy?
There are several possible reasons, all related to moisture. Perhaps the food was incompletely dried, or the container was not airtight, or the food was dried at too high a temperature, allowing the outside to harden before the inside moisture could escape. Prevent this in the future by testing the food within 1 week of drying. If signs of moisture appear in the food or in the jar, re-dry the food at 140°F until dry.
How can I prevent my fruit from sticking to the drying trays?
Spray trays with vegetable cooking spray. Also, gently lift food with a spatula after 1 hour of drying.
Why are there brown spots on my dried vegetables?
The temperature in your oven or dehydrator was too high.
Canning Questions
Sometimes my canning jars do not seal. Why?
Jars that come with mayonnaise, peanut butter, or commercially packed pickles may not fit the canning lids properly. Other reasons for unsealed jars are dented or rusty screw bands; nicked or cracked jars; handling lids with greasy fingers; not screwing bands on tightly enough; food, seeds, or herbs caught between the jar and the lid when sealing or when liquid is lost from the jars during the processing; or insufficient heat during processing.
What causes jars to crack in the canner?
Jars may crack if they are overfilled. Using a metal instrument or table knife to expel air will weaken the bottom of jars, causing them to fall off during processing.
Must glass jars be sterilized by boiling before canning?
If the jars are to be processed for more than 10 minutes — as for most fruits and tomatoes — then sterilizing is not necessary. But be sure jars and lids are clean, and prepared according to manufacturer’s directions before sealing jars.
Why is liquid lost from jars during processing?
Loss of liquid may be due to packing jars too full. Failure to release air bubbles before sealing the jar will force out liquid when it begins to boil.
Should lost liquid be replaced?
No. Never open a jar and refill with liquid; this would let in bacteria and you would need to process again. Loss of liquid does not cause the food to spoil, though the food above the liquid may darken.
How can I tell if my canned food is spoiled?
The signs of spoilage are bulging lids, broken seals, leaks, change in color, foaming, unusual softness or slipperiness, spurting liquid when the jar is open, mold, or bad smells. If any of these signs are noted, do not use the food. Discard it where animals and humans cannot find it. Be mindful that some spoilage, such as botulinum toxin, may not exhibit obvious signs. That is why it is so important to follow proper processing procedures.
What makes canned food change color?
Darkening of food at the tops of jars may be caused by oxidation due to air in the jars or by too little heating or processing to destroy enzymes. Over-processing may cause discoloration of foods throughout the containers. Iron and copper from cooking utensils or from water in somelocalities may cause brown, black, and gray colors in some foods. When canned corn turns brown, the discoloring may be due to the variety of corn, to the stage of ripeness, to over-processing, or to copper or iron pans.
Is it safe to eat discolored foods?
The color changes noted above do not mean the food is unsafe to eat. However, spoilage may also cause color changes. Any canned food that has an unusual color should be examined carefully before use.
Is it safe to use home-canned food if the liquid is cloudy?
Cloudy liquid may be a sign of spoilage. But