For the purpose of this fact sheet, “canned foods” refer to foods canned in liquid. Canned foods are safe alternatives to fresh and frozen foods and help meet dietary needs and avoid preservatives. Proper storage can greatly increase the shelf life and quality of canned foods. In this article you’ll learn about storing canned goods and its methods.
Table of Contents
Quality & Purchase:
Canned foods can either be purchased commercially or home canned. Home canned foods should be canned using research-tested recipes and processes like those found in the USDA Complete Guide to Canning or in Extension publications. Use only the best quality foods to canne at home. Home canning processes can never improve the quality of foods. Commercially canned foods are superior to home canned for food storage. Commercial canners can closely control quality and safety to produce the best product. And commercially canned foods for storage can be purchased at grocery stores and similar outlets. Avoid budget resellers (e.g. scratch and dent sales, dollar stores, etc.). Purchase canned foods in either cans or jars. Avoid rusted, dented, scratched, or bulging cans.
Packaging:
Foods are commercially packed in glass jars and bottled and jarred packaged goods are better preserved. These packaged goods are suitable and benefits of bottled and jarred packaged goods are increasing day by day.
Storage Conditions:
Carefully label all home canned or commercially canned food containers. We recommend labelling purchase date (month and year) on can lid with marker. Store all canned food in cool, dark, dry space away from furnaces, pipes, and places where temperatures change like un-insulated attics. Do not allow sealed cans or glass jars to freeze. Freezing changes food textures, and leads to rust, bursting cans, and broken seals that may let in harmful bacteria. Always store metal cans off of the floor, especially bare concrete. Moisture can wick up to cans and encourage rusting.
Nutrition and Allergies:
Canned foods maintain mineral content for entire shelf life. Vitamins A and C will decrease rapidly after fruits and vegetables are picked and cooked. Vitamins are lost during heating processes; however, once canned, vitamin A and C loss slows to 5- 20% per year. Other vitamins remain close to fresh food levels. Salt or sugar are not necessary for safe canning and only added for flavoring. Be sure to label canned goods with ingredients when canning mixed foods such as sauces.
Safe Canning Methods:
There are three safe ways of canning, depending on the type of food being canned.
Boiling Water Bath Method:
The boiling water bath method is safe for fruits, tomatoes and pickles as well as jams, jellies and other preserves. In this method, jars of food are heated by being completely covered with boiling water (212 °F at sea level). High-acid foods (pH of 4.6 or less) contain enough acid that the Clostridium botulinum spores can’t grow and produce their deadly toxin. High-acid foods include fruits and properly pickled vegetables. These foods can be safely canned at boiling temperatures in a boiling water bath. Tomatoes and figs have pH values close to 4.6. To can these in a boiling water bath, acid in the form of lemon juice or citric acid must be added.
Pressure Canning Methods:
Pressure canning is the only safe method of canning low-acid foods (those with a pH of more than 4.6). These include all vegetables, meats, poultry and seafood. Because of the danger of botulism, these foods must be canned in a pressure canner. Jars of food are placed in 2 to 3 inches of water in a pressure canner and then heated to a temperature of at least 240 °F. This temperature can only be reached in a pressure canner.
FAQs
- Why is it important to know the right ways of storing food?
Proper food storage helps to preserve the quality and nutritional value of food.
- What is the most important rule of food storage?
The basic rule must be always followed: store raw products below, never above, your cooked or ready-to-eat products.
