Prep - 254
Basic Food Preservation - Canning
History
• 1790 – Nicolas Appert, a confectioner discovered that applying heat
to glass bottles of food prevented deterioration of the food
• 1806 – Accepted by the French Navy
• 1810 – Englishman Peter Durand patented process
• Robert Ayars established the first American canning factory in New
York City in 1812
• 1815 – Canned foods Arrive in Australia
• 1840 – Canning commences in Australia
• 1841 – Appert Died. His canning factories were never profitable. He
died a pauper
History
• Canning predated Louis Pasteur’s discoveries of germ growth and
sterilization by more than 50 years.
• Canned food also predated, by around 30 years, the can opener itself.
The first metal canisters were made of tin-plated steel or even cast
iron, with heavy lids that had to chiseled open or stabbed through
with soldiers’ bayonets.
• Invented in 1888 by Max Ams, modern double seam cans provide an
airtight seal to the tin can.
History
• The availability of canned food played a crucial role in 19th century,
feeding the enormous armies of the Crimean War, the U.S. Civil War
and the Franco-Prussian War, and offering explorers and colonialists a
taste of home in unfamiliar lands. Following the global depression of
1873, U.S. exports of canned foods boomed, led by the Campbell,
Heinz and Borden companies. In 1904, the Max Ams Machine
Company of New York patented the double-seam process used in
most modern food cans. Today a double-seam machine can safely
seal more than 2,000 cans a minute—a long way from Appert’s peapacked bottles.
History
• 1858 – John Mason invented the glass jar with threads for a screw on
lid
• 1884 – Ball Corporation starts making glass canning jars
• 1903 – Alexander Kerr invented the wide mouth canning jar
• 1915 – Alexander Kerr invented the modern 2 piece canning lid used
today.
• 1996 – Ball ceases Glass Canning Jar Manufacture. All Jars made by
Hearthmark LLC, Jarden Home Brands, Daleville, IN (They also make
Kerr, Bernardin, and Golden Harvest Brands)
Did You Know…
• Canned Carrots Have more beta
carotene and phenolic acid than
fresh
• Canned Tomatoes have more
available lycopene than fresh.
• Canned fish is higher in available
calcium than fresh cooked
• Uncooked ≠Better
• Cooking destroys enzymes, so
what, so does your stomach
• Raw spinach, squash, taro,
Kidney Beans (must)
(Phytohaemagglutnin), beans,
olives, eggplant, potatoes, leafy
greens, mushrooms, broccoli,
buckwheat sprouts, should be
cooked first.
• Slow cooked Kidney beans can
make you very sick. They are
worse than raw. Minimum 30
minutes at 100°C
A Little Science
• Bacteria are not killed instantly
• The higher the number of
bacteria, the longer it takes to
kill them
• Botulism (C. botulinum) can kill
you.
• Botulism can leave you paralyzed
and dependent on a respirator
A Little Science
Vitamin Stability
Nutritional Element
Is substance susceptible to losses
under given condition?
Soluble
in Water
Exposure
to Air
Exposure
to Light
Exposure
to Heat
Vitamin A
no
partially
partially
relatively stable
Vitamin D
no
no
no
no
Vitamin E
no
yes
yes
no
Vitamin K
no
no
yes
no
Thiamine (B1)
highly
no
?
> 100°C
Riboflavin
slightly
no
in solution
no
Niacin
yes
no
no
no
Biotin
somewhat
?
?
no
Pantothenic Acid
quite stable
?
?
yes
Folate
yes
?
when dry
at high temp
Vitamin B-6
yes
?
yes
?
Vitamin B-12
yes
?
yes
no
very unstable
yes
yes
yes
Vitamin C
Vitamin Stability
Nutritional Element
Is substance susceptible to losses
under given condition?
Acid
Solution
Alkali
Solution
Other
Vitamin A
?
?
--
Vitamin D
?
?
--
Vitamin E
?
?
contact with iron or
copper
Vitamin K
strong acids
yes
--
Thiamine (B1)
no
yes
--
Riboflavin
no
yes
long cooking in large
volume of water
Niacin
no
no
--
Biotin
strong acids
yes
oxidizing substances
yes
yes
--
heat-labile
?
storage
Vitamin B-6
no
yes
--
Vitamin B-12
strong acids
yes
contact with iron or
copper
?
yes
--
Pantothenic Acid
Folate
Vitamin C
Vitamins Destroyed/Not Destroyed by Heat
• Thiamine (B1) – 50%
• Vitamin C – 15%-45%
• Vitamin A, D, E
• Vitamin K
• Riboflavin (B2)
• Niacin (B3)
• Vitamins B6 - Pyridoxine
• Vitamin B12 - Cyanocobalamin
• Folic acid (B9)
Canning Jars
12 oz
Quart Wide Mouth
4 oz
64 oz – Half Gallon Wide Mouth
8 oz
16 oz - Pint
Quart Regular
Preparation Equipment
Canning Methods
• Water Bath
• Pressure Cooking
• Open Kettle
• Microwave – Not Recommended
• Oven – Not Recommended
• Steam – Not Recommended
• Metal Can – Commercial double seam can
• Mason type jar – Quart and smaller
Water Bath
Canning Equipment
Pressure Cookers
Presto (Gasket)
All American (Gasketless)
Choosing Your Equipment
• You Get What you Pay For
• Use Stainless Steel Preparation
pots and cookware where
possible
• Buy the Largest Pressure Cooker
(PC) you can afford
• Buy a set of spare parts
• Buy the burner without the auto
shut off.
Why can?
• To Preserve the Harvest
• Better Quality
• Known Ingredients
• More Nutritious
• Tastes Better
• Save Money
• Lower Calorie Foods
• Higher Calorie Foods
• Longer Shelf Life
• Convenience
• Custom Sizes
• Gifts
• Have things you can’t buy
•
•
•
•
•
•
Custom Sauces
Soups
Your own recipes
Meals
Custom Ingredients
Meats
Causes of Bad Canned Goods
• Improper Processing
• Too Short of time
• Too Low Temperature
• Not venting PC long enough
• Allowing to set too long before
processing
• Starting with Bad product
• Bad Seal
• Food in seal
• Check or crack in Jar rim
• Damaged lid
• Too tight a band
• Too loose a band
• Cracked jar
• Jar touching canner/PC
• Over Cooking
• Air in Jar
• Leaving in sun
How Long is it Good For?
• Most Vitamin C is gone after 6
years
• Most Thiamine is gone after 5
years
• Vitamin Riboflavin, B6, B12, A,E,
K Damaged by light
• Minerals Last forever
• Protein is stable as long as
protected from light.
• It is safe to eat as long as the
seal is good
• After time, flavor degrades
Canning Tips
• Place at least 3 quarts of water
in your pressure cooker
• When using a water bath, keep
jars covered with water
• Place a layer of fiberglass screen
at the bottom of your pressure
cooker to prevent jars from
touching the metal and breaking
• Get 2 sets of jar tongs. It makes
unloading the cooker faster.
• Get a miniature pry bar to help
pop the lid on your pressure
cooker.
• “Soap” your pots exterior when
using propane. It makes the
carbon easy to get off.
• Take good care of your
equipment. They are not bulletproof
Canning Tips
• Use Fresh Product
• Follow Canning Procedure
• Use a Reliable Reference
• Adjust for Altitude
• Properly Vent you Cooker
• Use a timer
• Write down your start and stop
times
• Warm your lids (don’t boil)
• Warm your jars before placing in
cooker
• Must Have: Ball Blue Book
• Must Have: Pressure Cooking
Manual
Handouts
• Handouts Available at www.savedbyagun.com –
FREE!
• PDF of this presentation and other presentations can be found on the
website listed above.
• Schedule of Classes on Website