_compiled by Annetta Cook and Carole Davis_[21]
Acid food--Food with a pH of 4.6 or below. An acid food can be safely
processed in a boiling-water bath for specified times. Includes
most fruits, tomatoes, and pickled vegetables.
Anaerobes--Bacteria capable of growing without air, as in a sealed
container of canned food.
Blanching--Heating vegetables by immersion in boiling water, steaming,
sauteing, or stewing to inactivate enzymes capable of causing
quality changes in foods during freezer storage.
Boiling-water-bath Canner--A large kettle with lid, rack, and cover;
must be deep enough to allow jars to be covered with 1 to 2 inches
of water and still have additional height for water to boil
actively. Suitable for processing acid foods.
Botulism--Food-borne illness caused from eating canned foods containing
the toxin produced by _Clostridium botulinum_, an anaerobic
bacterium. This organism can grow and produce toxin in sealed jars
of canned foods that are improperly processed.
Canning--Preserving food in airtight rigid containers. Micro-organisms
are destroyed by heat-processing containers of food at the
temperature and time specified for each food. It is essential to
follow reliable canning instructions exactly to insure a safe
canned product that is free from botulism-causing bacteria and
spoilage organisms.
Cold Pack--Raw, unheated food packed into canning containers and covered
with boiling sirup, juice, or water.
Dehydrator--A device which removes moisture, a dryer.
Enzymes--Proteins involved in plant growth processes including
maturation and ripening. Enzymes can cause loss of quality in food
if they remain active during storage. They are destroyed by
canning, or by blanching vegetables before freezing.
Freezer Burn--Small, white, dehydrated areas which occur on improperly
wrapped frozen foods. This condition is harmless, but if extensive
can cause food to become tough or lose flavor.
Freezing--Preserving food by storing at low temperatures. The
recommended temperature for freezer storage is 0° F or below.
Headspace--The space between the top of food in a container and the
container lid or closure.
Hot Pack--Food heated in sirup, water or steam, or juice, and packed hot
into canning jars.
Hydrator (Vegetable Crisper)--A drawer-like section in refrigerators
which protects fresh fruits and vegetables from drying out during
refrigerator storage.
Low-acid Food--Food with pH above 4.6. A low-acid food requires
processing at high temperature under pressure to destroy
micro-organisms and insure a safe canned product. Includes all
vegetables except tomatoes.
Micro-organism--Includes bacteria, molds, and yeasts, which when present
in food can cause spoilage and even food poisoning. Therefore,
they must be destroyed in canning foods or their growth prevented
in freezing and drying foods.
Moisture-vapor-proof--Packing materials that prevent loss of moisture
from foods during freezer storage. Examples include glass, rigid
plastic, and metal freezer containers.
Moisture-vapor-resistant--Packing materials that protect foods from
moisture loss during freezer storage. Examples include freezer
wraps--paper, plastic, or foil--plastic bags, waxed freezer
cartons.
Molds--Microscopic fungi which form air-borne spores (seeds) that may
alight on food and grow into cottony mats or fuzz. Some molds or
their end products may be harmful, and moldy vegetables or fruit
should not be canned. Molds are destroyed by proper canning, but
they may develop in leaky containers. Food from leaky containers
or any canned food showing mold growth should be discarded without
tasting.
Open-kettle Canning--Procedure whereby food is cooked in an ordinary
kettle, then packed into hot jars and sealed. Jars of food receive
no additional heat processing. This is a dangerous practice as
spoilage organisms may enter the jar during the transfer of food
from kettle to jar. In low-acid foods, temperatures obtained are
not hot enough to insure destruction of all spoilage organisms
that may be present in the food.
Pack--Designates how food is packed into containers. Specifies the
temperature of food when packed into jars for canning, or the
method of sweetening fruits for freezer packs.
Pectin--A substance occurring naturally in many fruits which causes the
juice to thicken or gel after heating if the proper proportions of
sugar and acid are present. Natural pectins are more prevalent in
underripe fruit than mature or overripe fruit. Some fruits have
enough natural pectins to make high quality jams and jellies.
Others require addition of commercial pectins which are made from
either citrus peel or apples.
pH--Measure of acidity of a product. The lower the pH the higher the
acidity.
Preserve--To maintain the quality of food for consumption at a later
time. Accomplished by canning, freezing, pickling, drying, or
making jelly, jams, or preserves.
Processing--Heating food in closed canning jars to insure destruction of
micro-organisms so the canned food will remain unspoiled and safe
to eat. Acid foods--such as fruits, tomatoes, and pickles--and
jams and preserves are safely processed in a boiling-water-bath.
Low-acid vegetables (all vegetables except tomatoes) require
processing at higher temperature by use of a pressure canner or
pressure saucepan. Times required to insure an adequate process
are specified in canning directions for each food.
Sirup Pack--Fruit is packed for freezing in a sugar sirup made by
dissolving sugar in water.
Steam-pressure Canner--A large, heavy metal pan having a tight-fitting
cover which is fitted with safety valve, steam vent or petcock,
and a gage--either weighted or dial. Used for processing low-acid
foods under pressure at high temperatures in order to insure their
safety.
Steam-pressure Saucepan--Smaller than a canner. If equipped with a gage
to maintain pressure at 10 pounds, it is suitable for processing
food in pint jars.
Sugar Pack--Sugar is added directly to fruit and mixed gently to draw
juice from fruit before packing into freezer containers.
Unsweetened Pack--Fruit packed for freezing without any sweetening
added. It may be packed dry or covered with water.