MORGANTOWN — Canning food has been a way of life for Gina Taylor since she was about nine years old.
Taylor, professor and WVU Extension Service Family and Community Development agent, said her father discovered the 4-H extension office in Raleigh County when she was a child. During that time, the office was distributing materials for canning that her father used to begin preserving his own food.
“He made this three-ring binder that he called his canning Bible,” Taylor said. “And I just learned from helping him do it.”
Luckily for Taylor, her father’s techniques stemmed from research-based information. This isn’t always the case when it comes to methods passed down through generations. Taylor said several misconceptions about food safety exist when it comes to canning food and being aware of the potential dangers is critical to preventing serious illness.
“A lot of times, that can lead to a lot of problems because people are still following canning standards from the ’50s or ’60s,” Taylor said. “A lot changed in the early ’90s.”
One of the most-common methods Taylor said to be wary of is open-kettle canning.
This technique involves cooking a product in a kettle or pot, pouring it into a jar and allowing the lid to seal on its own. This technique is often passed down through traditional practices, resulting in misinformation that if the jar seals, it is safe to consume; however, this method traps in bacteria. Killing this bacteria then requires an additional step of using a hot-water-bath canner or a pressure canner, depending on the acidity of the food.
Another danger created by canning misinformation is when it comes to canning low-acid foods, especially green beans.
Because green beans are low-acid foods, they must be canned in a pressure canner at 240 degrees. Otherwise, the food is at risk for containing clostridium botulinum. This bacteria causes botulism, which is a rare but sometimes deadly illness.
“People think, ‘Oh, it’s no big deal. I’ve always done it like this. My grandparents did it like this. There haven’t always been pressure canners,’ ” Taylor said, “but there haven’t always been seat belts either and most of us never hesitate to put on our seat belt when we get in the car.”
Taylor said unlike other forms of food preservation, canning doesn’t depend on electricity for storage, making it a convenient alternative. This was an important aspect of canning for Jackson County resident Susanna Holstein, who said her home didn’t have electricity until 1989.
During that time, Holstein said her family canned more than 1,000 quarts of food per year, as it was the most viable way to preserve food. This method of food preservation is one she learned more than 50 years ago, when it was passed down from her mother.
Growing up with 13 family members, she remembers snapping beans and pitting cherries for canning alongside her siblings. Canning vegetables from her father’s garden became a summer tradition and one that has stuck with her for decades.
As technology advanced, Holstein recognized the need to improve methods passed on to her from her parents. Although pressure canners didn’t exist in her childhood, she said she is well aware of the importance of using the proper type of canner.
“Following the USDA guidelines is really the safest thing to do,” she said.
Holstein’s techniques for safe canning are some that have even led to new family traditions. Along with canning a variety of sauces, including hot pepper mustard and sweet pickle relish, one recipe has become especially important to her family.
“Apple butter — that’s a real family tradition,” she said. “My sons come in and our grandkids come and so we all make apple butter together.”
For more information on safe canning methods, visit the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning at nchfp.uga.edu.
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