Watch the Headspace
Headspace is the unfilled space between the food in a jar and the lid of a jar. General canning headspace recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture are as follows: Leave ¼...
Author: Dr. Susan Barefoot
Toxoplasmosis
What is Toxoplasmosis? A single-celled protozoan parasite called Toxoplasma gondii causes the disease known as toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is the 2nd leading cause of death from foodborne illness...
Home Freezing Equipment
The type of freezer to purchase will depend on family size, whether fresh produce or large quantities of meat will be frozen, available floor space, and efficiency and defrosting features preferred....
Finding Reliable Recipes for Safe Food Preservation
There are numerous resources available to the public related to preserving foods at home. Many of them are not safe and may include recipes passed down from previous generations and random internet...
Foodborne Illnesses: Bacteria
What is Foodborne Illness? Foodborne illness often shows itself as flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Often people may not recognize that the illness is caused by...
Preserving Foods
Unless food is preserved in some manner, it begins to spoil soon after it is harvested or slaughtered. The main methods of food preservation that will keep food safe are canning, freezing and...
Home Canning Equipment
Canning is the process in which foods are placed in jars or cans and heated to a temperature that destroys microorganisms and inactivates enzymes. This heating and later cooling forms a vacuum seal....
Making Sauerkraut
What do sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso, and yogurt have in common? They are all fermented foods. Fermenting has been around for thousands of years and is the method of preparation for a variety...
Pressure Canning
Every year we get the following question at the Home & Garden Information Center: “I canned my green beans in a water bath canner. Are they safe?” And when we say NO, we hear: “But my mother and...
No Canning Zucchini & Summer Squash
The one thing we know, FOR SURE, about food safety is that it is always evolving. That is one of the main reasons, Food Safety Agents are always pushing for people to always reference research-based...
Canning and Preserving Tips: Why Blanch?
Why blanch vegetables before freezing? Blanching vegetables before freezing is critical to quality, but not safety. Blanching is scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time. It is...
Get Ready for Canning Season – Canning Tips from Dr. Susan Barefoot
Canning season is here! Here’s is a list of things to do RIGHT NOW so that your canning projects go as smooth and easy as possible! Start With Your Pressure Canner Three manufacturers, Presto,...