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Step-by-Step Guides |
| High-Acid Foods |
| Low-Acid Foods |
Over the years, our understanding of food safety has grown. At the same time, new technologies and agricultural crop varieties have been developed. For these reasons, it is important to follow current guidelines for home canning instead of old recipes. While they might be family favorites, older recipes may not have been properly tested to achieve adequate heat processing times and temperatures for food safety and quality. Failure to use the proper processing method and processing times can effect the quality and safety of your final product.
Today, foods for canning are classified into two types: High Acid and Low Acid. Each type requires a different method of heat processing to achieve the temperatures necessary to prevent the growth of harmful bacterioa and other microorganisms.
Low Acid Foods, (with pH values higher than 4.6) must be heat processed at temperatures of 240°F (116°C) for a specified length of time to destroy harmful bacteria. Because boiling water canners cannot reach this temperature, Low Acid Foods must be processed in a pressure canner. Low Acid Foods include vegetables, soups, stews, meats, poultry, seafood and tomato or vegetable mixtures or sauces.
High Acid Foods, require heat processing to 212°F (100°C) to inactivate invisible microorganisms. This is the temperature of boiling water, so it can be achieved in efficiently in a boiling water canner used for the recipe-specified time. The pH of High Acid Foods must be 4.6 or lower (meaning the acidity is high). Such high acid environments inhibit the growth of bacteria and other spoilage organisms. However, high acidity alone is not sufficient to preserve foods. Heat processing in a boiling water canner is still required to inactivate enzymes, yeasts and other microorganisms that can thrive in unprocessed High Acid Foods. High Acid Foods include fruits, fruit juices, jams, jellies and other fruit spreads, tomatoes with added acid, pickles, relishes, chutneys, sauces, vinegars and condiments.
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