While preboiling metal lids is not required, Bernardin lids must be hot when placed on hot food in hot jars, thus the recommendation to place them in 'hot' water. Do NOT heat lids in an oven.

Screw bands require no preparation and are much easier to apply to jars when used at room temperature.
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Up-to-date lid application technique is important! Changes in lid design and sealing compounds have led to new and improved application techniques for ensuring tight seals to guard against food spoilage. In years past, instructions for zinc lids as well as metal bands, used with rubber rings and glass lids, dictated that lids be twisted on very tightly or be applied very firmly and then backed off (reversed) a quarter turn. Other out-moded techniques required that bands be retightened after processing or that jars be inverted after closing or processing. All of these lid application techniques are outdated! Used with today's two-piece metal lids, these techniques can cause seal failure. These outdated techniques simply do not work successfully with two-piece metal home canning lids made and sold in Canada and the United States.Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for use of a product.
Blanket Steeping Heating filled jars of food in boiling water and then wrapping the jars in woolen blankets to keep them warm over a period of time is not recommended for any type of food. Food preservered according to this method of food preservation rarely, if ever, reaches temperatures sufficient to destroy microorganisms. Keeping the jars warm in blankets can, in fact, be dangerous. The prolonged warm environment may promote bacterial growth inside the jars.
Grandmother's Recipes General home canning guidelines were updated in the late 1980s to meet today's standards of quality and safety. Home canning recipes or books published prior to 1988, may contain outdated information which could affect the safety of the end result. For this reason, we suggest using a reputable canning guide published after 1989.
Microwave Canning Potentially unsafe devices have been marketed for canning food in a microwave oven. These devices have not been shown to destroy all bacteria present in the food nor do they heat uniformly. Problems may also occur with food siphoning out of the jars and lid failures. Do not use these devices to can food at home.
Vacuum Sealing Devices Some kitchen appliances can create a vacuum in a mason jar without heat treatment. Since there is no heat treatment to destroy spoilage microorganisms and botulism bacteria, these organisms can grow under the vacuum seal. Vacuum sealing devices are not safe substitutes for proper heat processing in mason jars. If you wish to use vacuum sealers with canning jars, use them only for dry ingredients and non-perishable staples.
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• SNAP Lids must be hot when placed on hot jars of hot food, whereas screw bands should be room temperature.
• Screw bands require no preparation and are much easier to handle if left at room temperature. Apply screw bands evenly and firmly until resistance is met. Don't overtighten as this prevents venting - air escaping - during heat processing.
• Heat processing all filled jars is still a necessity for safe home canning.
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Wash jars and lids in hot, soapy water; rinse well. Place required number of clean mason jars on a rack in a canner or large saucepan.

• If using a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat water to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Keep jars hot until used.
• If using a pressure canner, place clean jars in canner, add water to 3-inch depth ( 15 cm) and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C), Leave jars in hot water until used. (Note, if packing jars with chilled fish, do not preheat jars or water prior to filling jars. When mason jars are filled and pressure canner is filled, add room temperature water to depth recommended by pressure canner manufacturer.)

Heat processing time recommendations for jams and jellies was been increased from 5 minutes to 10 minutes in 2003, thus eliminating the need to pre-sterilize mason jars before filling. Tests have shown that increasing the processing time does not adversely affect the product. If you choose to continue to use high acid recipes that require less than 10 minutes heat processing time, mason jars should be boiled 10 minutes, at altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m), prior to filling and the subsequent shorter than 10-minute heat processing time.

“Boiling lids" prior to placement on jars is no longer required for home canning. This recommendation has been changed to "heat SNAP Lids in hot water, NOT boiling" (180ºF/82ºC). Leave lids in hot water until used. In the past, the recommendation was to "boil SNAP lids five minutes" before placing them on filled jars. Extensive testing by Bernardin's technologists revealed that boiling the lids too long, combined with overly tight application of the screw bands could lead to seal failure. SNAP Lids must be hot when placed on hot jars of hot food, whereas screw bands should be room temperature. Tighten screw bands securely & firmly until resistance is met - don't overtighten. Heat processing ALL filled jars is still a necessity for safe home canned foods.

Screw bands require no preparation and are much easier to handle if left at room temperature. Apply screw bands evenly and firmly until resistance is met. Don't overtighten as this prevents venting - air escaping - during heat processing. For additional information, see Canning Basics and Step-by-Step.
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Elevations of Selected Canadian Cities
CITY British Columbia Kamloops Kelowna Prince George Terrace Vancouver Victoria Alberta Calgary Edmonton Lethbridge Medicine Hat Red Deer Vermillion Saskatchewan Regina Saskatoon Swift Current Manitoba Brandon Winnipeg Ontario Barrie Kenora North Bay Ottawa Sault Ste. Marie Thunder Bay Toronto Quebec Chicoutimi Montreal Quebec City Sherbrook Trois-Rivieres New Brunswick Fredericton Moncton St. John Nova Scotia Halifax P.E.I. Charlottetown Newfoundland St. John's NWTerritories Inuvik Yellowknife Nunavut Iqaluit Yukon Territory Dawson Whitehorse	Altitude FEET 1133 1409 2268 713 14 63 3557 2373 3047 2352 2968 2025 1894 1653 2682 1343 783 968 1344 1215 374 630 653 569 544 270 244 792 199 67 232 357 477 160 461 224 675 110 1214 2305	Altitude METERS 345 429 691 217 4 19 1084 723 928 716 904 617 577 503 817 409 239 295 409 370 114 192 199 173 166 82 74 241 61 20 71 109 145 49 141 68 206 34 370 703

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• Insufficient heat processing of filled jars.. When filled jars are not heat processed and/or when the heat processing method or time are inadequate for the type of food and jar size – excess air is not “vented” from the jars and microorganisms that cause food spoilage are not inactivated. Initially, some lids may appear to seal. i.e. curve downward. However, these same lids may unseal during shelf storage. The seal failure at that time is caused by one of two reasons: a) very low vacuum was created initially. Low vacuums do not hold over time, or b) Due to inadequate heat processing, food begins to spoil inside the jar. This spoilage produces gases that force the lid to release. All filled jars, regardless of their content, must be heat processed by an appropriate method and time for safe, shelf-stable storage.
• Over-tightening of screw bands. Overtightening screw bands prevents “venting.” Apply screw bands securely, until fingertip tight. Note: Applying screw bands very tightly, then backing them off a quarter turn is an outdated method that does not work successfully with Bernardin SNAP Lids.
• Re-tightening or tampering with screw bands immediately after processing before food is thoroughly cooled. Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
• Incorrect headspace or failure to remove air bubbles before placement of the SNAP Lid.
• Failure to soften sealing compound on SNAP Lids prior to use. Boil SNAP Lids 5 minutes, not longer; let stand in hot water until used.
• Reuse of single-use SNAP Lids or use of commercial food glass jars.
• Use of mason jars with nicks, cracks or chips in the sealing edge or neck rim.
• Failure to clean the rim of the filled jar before applying the lid and/or rapid changes in processing temperatures that cause liquid to siphon from jar. Food, grease or seeds lodged between the jar rim and sealing compound can prevent the formation of airtight seals.
• Careless or inappropriate handling of jars and lids before and after processing. i.e. inverting jars after filling or processing.
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• Buckling that is apparent immediately after heat processing is caused by application of the screw bands too tightly. Bernardin two-piece home canning lids are made in two pieces for a very important reason: to release pressure and vent air from the jar during heat processing. As the filled jar is heated, headspace pressure increases until excess air is vented from the jar. When the band is applied too tightly, there is no way for air to be exhausted from the jar. Consequently, the pressure build-up warps the lids and disrupts the seal formation.
• Buckling that occurs during storage is caused by food spoilage. When heat processing is insufficient and does not destroy all spoilage microorganisms, food may spoil during storage. This spoilage produces gases inside the jar that forces the lid to bulge upward. This food should be discarded in a manner that neither humans nor animals will consume it.

• Metal utensils used to remove food from jars
• ‘Knifing out’ air bubbles using a metallic utensil
• Cleaning jars with steel wool or a wire stem brush

• Pouring boiling water or food product into a room temperature jar
• Placing a room temperature jar into boiling water
• Setting hot jars on a cool or wet surface
• Oven sterilization (Jars heat unevenly due to dry heat and temperature fluctuations inside the oven may be too drastic for the jars)

• Reprocessed immediately,
• Stored in the refrigerator and used within a few days, or
• Placed in a proper freezer container and frozen.

• Only remake products that have maintained a good seal.
• First, make one trial batch using 1 cup (250 ml) unset product to assure success.
• Do not recook more than 8 cups (2000 ml) at one time.
• All remade jams and jellies must be processed in a boiling-water canner.
• Wash and resterilize jars. Boil new SNAP Lids, 5 minutes not longer.

1. Measure unset jam/jelly to be remade.
2. For each 1 cup (250 ml) product, measure:
   • 2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar,
   • 1 tbsp (15 ml) water and
   • 1 ½ tsp (7 ml) Bernardin Fruit Pectin.
3. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, whisk fruit pectin into water. Stirring constantly to prevent scorching, bring to a boil. Stir in the measured jam and sugar.
4. Stirring constantly over high heat, bring to a full rolling boil; boil hard 30 seconds. Remove from heat; skim foam, if necessary.
5. Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Centre new SNAP Lids on jars; apply screw bands securely until fingertip tight. Heat process 5 minutes in boiling water canner.

1. Measure unset product and place in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan.
2. For each 1 cup (250 ml) unset product, measure and set aside:
   • 3 tbsp (45 ml) granulated sugar,
   • 1 ½ tsp (7 ml) lemon juice
   • 1 ½ tsp (7 ml) Bernardin Liquid Pectin
3. Stirring constantly over high heat, bring product to a boil. Add sugar, lemon juice and liquid pectin.
4. Stirring constantly, return mixture to a full rolling boil; boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat; skim foam, if necessary.
5. Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch (0.5 cm) headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Centre new SNAP Lid on jar; apply screw band securely until fingertip tight. Process 5 minutes in boiling water canner.

• Harvesting and handling - To maintain the most natural colour possible, keep all fruits and vegetables cool from the time they are harvested until they are canned. When hot-pack canning, do not overcook or heat produce at too high a temperature. Excessive heat alters virtually all natural food pigments.
• Weather - Fruit that grows in very dry, hot weather, frequently turns pink when canned. This colour change cannot be prevented.
• Oxidation - Light coloured fruits such as peaches and pears turn brown when exposed to oxygen during preparation or in the jar. While preparing fruit place it in a colour protection solution -- 4 tbsp (60 ml) Fruit-Fresh® dissolved in 8 cups (2 L) water. Be sure to remove air bubbles before closing the jar and pack fruit so that it will not float above the level of the syrup at the top of the jar.
• Low sugar foods loss some colour when canned because sugar helps stablize the colour. Colour intensity is greatest in full sugar jams and fruits canned in sugar syrups. True reds are more difficult to maintain in reduced sugar spreads.
• Improper storage conditions may also cause colour changes. Store canned foods in a cool, dark place.

Pink-purple cauliflower - Some cauliflower varieties are genetically inclined toward higher concentrations of red, purple, or blue pigments. This is the same harmless, water soluble pigment found in eggplant, red cabbage, berries, plums and grapes. In other types of cauliflower colorless or white pigments predominate. Purpling can develop in white varieties of cauliflower when heads are exposed to light during their growth. Tying leaves over the heads prevents light exposure. Purple cauliflower is safe to eat. If the purpling is excessive, use the vegetable raw for relishes or salads. Heat may induce a color change from purple to gray or slate blue--especially if the water is hard or has an alkaline pH. If you must cook purplish cauliflower, add a little vinegar or cream of tartar (tartaric acid) to the water. Pale beets – Red pigments fade when the beets are overcooked before canning or overprocessed during canning. To minimize colour loss, always leave a portion of the stem and the taproot in tack when cooking beets. Green, blue garlic – Immature garlic that has not been properly cured for 2 to 4 weeks at 70°F can turn an iridescent greenish color in cooked foods. Some varieties of garlic and/or growing conditions produce garlic that has an excess of natural bluish pigmentation. This colouring is more evident after pickling. Garlic colour changes can also be caused by a reaction between its natural pigments and iron, tin or aluminum in your cooking utensils or water. Pickles – Always use pickling salt. Avoid using sea salt as it contains minerals from the sea that can affect the colour of pickles.

• Use of vinegar with an acidity level less than 5%
• Pickles that are not processed or not processed long enough in a boiling water canner to destroy spoilage microorganisms
• Variety and quality (freshness) of the cucumbers used
• Improper storage or handling of cucumbers before pickling
• Cucumbers were not completely covered with liquid when packed in the jar
• In fermented pickles:
  1. Brine that was too weak when fermenting cucumbers
  2. Cucumbers not completely covered with brine while fermenting
  3. Scum not removed from top of brine while fermenting

• too little headspace
• failure to keep jars upright at all times
• removal of jars from processing a boiling water canner too quickly (before boil has subsided)
• too little water above the jars during boiling water processing
• fluctuating pressure in a pressure canner.
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1. What type of business? i.e. home-business (products are sold after filling); formal-business (products are sold after filling); OR distributor (products resold as received)
2. What products are required? (i.e. size of jar, etc.)
3. What do you think your annual volume requirement would be? (i.e. number of jars, lids, quantity of fruit pectin, other home canning products)
4. How much product would you purchase with each order?