Michigan
State University Extension
Preserving
Food Safely - 01600942
10/13/97
To maintain good natural color and flavor in stored
canned food, you must:
* Remove oxygen from food tissues and jars.
* Quickly destroy (inactivate) the food enzymes.
* Obtain high jar vacuums and airtight jar seals.
Follow these guidelines to ensure that your canned
foods retain optimum colors and flavors during processing
and storage:
* Use only high-quality foods which are at the
proper maturity and are free of diseases and
bruises.
* Use the hot-pack method, especially with acid
foods to be processed in boiling water.
* Don't unnecessarily expose prepared foods to air.
Can them as soon as possible.
* Fill hot foods into jars and adjust headspace as
specified in recipes.
* Tighten screw bands securely, but if you are
especially strong, not as tightly as possible.
* Process and cool jars.
* Store the jars in a relatively cool, dark place,
preferably between 50 and 70 degrees F.
* Can no more food than you will use within a year.