Home CANNING of Fruits and Vegetables
HOME AND GARDEN BULLETIN No. 8
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
CONTENTS
- Page
- Right canner for each food 3
- Getting your equipment ready 3
- General canning procedure 5
- How to can fruits, tomatoes, pickled vegetables 9
- Directions for fruits, tomatoes, pickled vegetables 11
- How to can vegetables 16
- Directions for vegetables 18
- Questions and answers 29
- Index 31
Prepared by
HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH DIVISION
Agricultural Research Service
Acknowledgment is made to the Massachusetts Agricultural ExperimentStation and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station for cooperation in thedevelopment of some of the home-canning processes included in this publication,and to the National Canners Association for consultation and advice onprocessing.
Washington, D.C.
Revised February 1965
Slightly revised May 1965
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 15 cents
Home CANNING of Fruits and Vegetables
Organisms that cause food spoilage—molds, yeasts, and bacteria—are alwayspresent in the air, water, and soil. Enzymes that may cause undesirable changesin flavor, color, and texture are present in raw fruits and vegetables.
When you can fruits and vegetables you heat them hot enough and longenough to destroy spoilage organisms. This heating (or processing) also stopsthe action of enzymes. Processing is done in either a boiling-water-bath canneror a steam-pressure canner. The kind of canner that should be used depends onthe kind of food being canned.
Right Canner for Each Food
For fruits, tomatoes, and pickled vegetables, use a boiling-water-bathcanner. You can process these acid foods safely in boiling water.
For all common vegetables except tomatoes, use a steam-pressure canner.To process these low-acid foods safely in a reasonable length of time takes atemperature higher than that of boiling water.
A pressure saucepan equipped with an accurate indicator or gage for controllingpressure at 10 pounds (240° F.) may be used as a steam-pressure cannerfor vegetables in pint jars or No. 2 tin cans. If you use a pressure saucepan,add 20 minutes to the processing times given in this publication for eachvegetable.