Food Safety
Regulations for Selling Safe Canned Foods
UVM Extension Fact Sheet- Revised Nov 2012
Many Vermont food processors are making and selling some type of canned,
shelf-stable foods, such as pickles, jams and jellies, or salsa. Such products offer a great
way to add value and extend the shelf life of local produce. However, processors must
ensure that these products are produced as safely as possible and follow food safety
regulations. Some of the most frequently asked questions regarding selling safe canned
foods are listed below:
1) Which regulations do I need to follow for selling canned foods?
Where selling
In Vermont
Outside of Vermont
Grocery stores/coops,
distributors
Vermont Farmers Markets
Regulations to follow
Vermont food processing regulations if selling >$10,000 of that product/year
or if selling to restaurants or caterers1. Scheduled process requested for
canned, shelf stable acidified or low-acid foods.
FDA regulations2- Scheduled process required for low-acid and acidified
canned shelf-stable foods, regardless of size of operation
Check with your buyer as their requirements may be stricter that government
regulations.
Vermont food processing and farmers market regulations3
2) Why are we so concerned about Clostridium botulinum in canned foods?
The big concern with C. botulinum is that it grows in the absence of oxygen, such as in canned foods. It can form
heat-tolerant spores which can produce a deadly toxin that only a few nanograms can cause paralysis and death.
Temperatures of 250°F (above the boiling point of water, thus requiring pressure to obtain that temperature)
are required to kill spores under neutral pH conditions.
3) Why is the acidity of food important to its safety?
Most microorganisms, including C. botulinum do not like to grow in foods that are acidic (thus having a lower pH
value). A pH of < 4.6 reduces the temperature requirement to kill C. botulinum to 212°F (boiling point of water).
Most fruits4 have a pH of 3-4, while tomatoes have a pH of 4-5. Other vegetables, beans, meat and fish have a
pH of >5. Lemon juice and vinegar have a pH <3, while pure water has a pH of 7.0.
1
More information on these regulations, including getting necessary licenses, is available in a UVM Extension Fact Sheet:
www.uvm.edu/extension/food/pdfs/foodprocessingregs_nov2012.pdf
2
More information: www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/AcidifiedLow-AcidCannedFoods/default.htm
3
More information : www.uvm.edu/extension/food/pdfs/farmersmarket_foodsafety_preparedfoods_sept%202011.pdf
4
List of approximate pH of foods: http://foodscience.caes.uga.edu/extension/documents/FDAapproximatepHoffoodslacf-phs.pdf
1
4) How do I measure product pH?
pH test strips can be used to estimate pH, but for more accurate measurements, a pH meter should be used. A
good, and easy-to-use pH meter5 can be purchased for about $100. The product should be at room temperature
when checking the pH to ensure accuracy.
5) What processing methods can I use for various types of food?
Method
What it does
Maximum temp
Use for:
Boiling
water bath
Destroys most microorganisms of
concern, including yeasts and molds*
212°F; does
NOT kill C. bot
High Acid foods- home canning
Hot fill
Same as above; need to use sterilized
jars
190°F; does
NOT kill C. bot
High Acid foods- commercial
steam kettle
Pressure
canning
Destroys ALL microorganisms of
concern, including C. bot spores
250°F
Low-acid foods: home canning;
Retort for FDA regs
*Note that yeasts and molds cause product spoilage and can grow at pH < 4.6. If present, they can raise
product pH to a level allowing C. botulinum growth.
6) Does someone need to check the safety of the canned foods that I sell?
Depending on the level of acidity of the food product, certain foods require a “Scheduled Process”. See the
table below for a classification of canned foods.
Classification
Characteristics
Examples
Sale requirements
Acid Food
Natural pH of product < 4.66
Tomatoes, most fruits,
preserves, fermented
foods (sauerkraut)
NO scheduled process
Formulated
acid food
Majority (>90%) of ingredients
have natural pH < 4.66
BBQ sauce (tomato paste
and bits of onion)
NO scheduled process
Acidified
Food
< 90% naturally acidic
ingredients (pH<4.66) acidified
w/ vinegar or lemon juice7
Pickled vegetables, eggs,
meats, salsa, hot sauces
Scheduled process,
Better Process Control
School (BPCS)
Low Acid
Food
Natural pH > 4.6
Canned beans, cream
soups
Scheduled process,
BPCS, commercial
retort canning8
Exempt Food
Either refrigerated OR water
activity9 (aw) <0.85
Chocolate sauce
Monitor refrigeration or
aw. NO scheduled proc.
7) What is a scheduled process?
A detailed procedure for a single product issued by a recognized Process Authority. It includes the product
formulation, critical control points, processing steps, storage, distribution, and selling conditions.
5
Information on buying a pH meter: http://necfe.foodscience.cornell.edu/publications/pdf/FS_Purchasing_pH_Meters.pdf
The legal pH limit is < 4.6, but for an added safety measure, process authorities will require a final product pH of <4.2.
7
Note that every component of the food must be <4.2 pH within 24 hours of thermal processing
8
Commercial retort canners are not currently available in Vermont, which is needed to produce a shelf stable product. Therefore,
the product must be refrigerated, frozen, dehydrated, or canned out of state if it is to be sold shelf-stable under licensing.
9
Water activity is a measurement of the water available for the growth of microorganisms. It is affected by moisture content, as well
as salt and sugar content of the product. It ranges from 0 to 1 (distilled water is aw 1).
6
2
8) Who or what is a process authority?
This is a person or institution with expert knowledge and experience in the microbiology and processing
requirements for canned foods. The nearest ones to Vermont are currently at Cornell University10 or the
University of Maine11, but any recognized US process authority can be utilized.
9) Why should I get a scheduled process?
It is a regulatory requirement if you are selling many canned products out of Vermont. The process authority can
make very useful suggestions for you to improve the safety of your product, particularly if you make any changes
to your process. It also provides a documentation of safety for your customers.
10) How do I get a scheduled process?
i. Send in sample of product to process authority for testing (pH and possibly aw)
ii. Send required info to process authority
iii. Also need to meet VT regulations and register your facility with FDA
iv. Someone who has attended Better Process Control School must be in facility while processing.
11) Where can I take Better Process Control School (BPCS)?
Cornell8, University of Massachusetts- Amherst12 and the University of Maine13 currently hold BPCS, along with a
number of other places14 in the US.
12) What information do I need to submit along with a sample of my product to get a scheduled process?
The Processing Authority will likely have a form to be completed. The information needed includes:
• Exact formulation of product by weight
• Precise directions for the process, including packaging to be used
• Intended distribution temperature: Refrigerated, frozen, or shelf stable
• Your name, address, phone number, email
13) What do I do once the Scheduled Process is approved?
- When processing, need to follow approved schedule exactly as written
o Must maintain records of relevant critical control points for every batch (pH, temperature, etc.)
- Review Scheduled Process periodically to see if changes are necessary or have been made
Fact sheet prepared by Dr. Londa Nwadike, UVM Extension Food Safety Specialist,
londa.nwadike@uvm.edu; tel: 802-223-2389; 617 Comstock Road, Berlin, VT 05602
UVM Extension helps
individuals and communities
put research-based knowledge
to work.
Fact sheet reviewed by:
- George Keener, Operations Manager, Vermont Food Ventures Center
- Elisabeth Wirsing, Food and Lodging Program Chief, Vermont Department of Health
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of
Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture,
cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political
beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.
10
Contact information for Cornell process authority: http://necfe.foodscience.cornell.edu/about/personnel.php
Information on the University of Maine Process Authority: http://foodsciencehumannutrition.umaine.edu/foodtechnology/process-and-product-reviews/
12
More information: www.umass.edu/foodsci/news/index.html
13
More information on the course: http://umaine.edu/food-health/food-safety/
14
Complete listing: www.gmaonline.org/file-manager/Events/Bro_BPCS-011411.pdf
11
3