The uncertainty of the strained supply chains that resulted in last winter’s shortages left many feeling vulnerable and scrambling for supplies. Now, some are rethinking how they will prepare for the next wave of the pandemic.
Having an extra cache of the foods your household uses most eases the emotional and economic stresses that unforeseen disruptions can bring.
But don’t pull out an old family canning recipe and that hand-me-down pressure canner just yet.
Before preserving your garden’s harvest or buying locally-grown fruits and vegetables in bulk while they’re available, you need to put time into learning how to do it safely, cautions Saratoga County Cooperative Extension Food and Nutrition Educator Diane Whitten.
“Many cases of botulism are from home canning, so if you’re going to get into canning, there are some real serious food safety issues you need to be aware of,” she said.
Can-Do & Can Don’ts
Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by improperly canned food. You can’t see it or taste it.
Low-acid foods such as green beans and corn are common sources for cases of foodborne botulism. Low-acid foods, which includes all vegetables, meats, poultry and seafood, must be canned using a pressure canner (not a boiling water bath canner) to reach a temperature hot enough to kill the heat-resistant botulism spores. Botulism will not survive in high-acid foods, including fruit and acidified vegetables, such as salsa and pickles which can be safely canned in a boiling water canner.
Using a safe research-based recipe is also important for food preservation. Many examples you’ll find online are not USDA approved. Instead, for up-to-date recipes and information, go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation website at nchfp.uga.edu
Freezing Facts
There are three things to keep in mind even if you think you already know how to freeze foods:
1. To get the best quality vegetables from your freezer, blanch them in boiling water beforehand. This inactivates the enzymes that cause them to degrade, so they’ll last longer. Blanching times vary for each vegetable, so follow time recommendations from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
2. To prevent freezer burn and preserve the plumpness of fruits like apples and peaches, freeze them in a sugar syrup or water.
3. Get a low-cost sensor for your freezer unit to alert you if it turns off, otherwise you could be losing thousands of dollars worth of food when the power goes out.
Coming Up Dry
No matter how hot it might seem when you’re out in the sun, the Northeast is just too humid to dry most foods without a dehydrator (with the exception of herbs -which can be hung to dry in a warm spot that gets good circulation).
To avoid mold, foods need to be dried at a consistent warm temperature (ovens get too hot) so look for a quality dehydrator that has varying temperature controls and includes a fan.
Fermentation is a short-term food preservation method that will last four to six months in the refrigerator. Examples include flavorful sauerkraut, kimchi, and fermented dill pickles.
Master Food Preserver Diane Whitten will be hosting FREE Food Preservation Zoom Classes on Sept. 9 and Oct. 7, 6-8:30 p.m. For more information, go to ccesaratoga.org/nutrition-food/food-preservation
