National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation

Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D.Extension Specialist and Project Director

The University of GeorgiaCooperative Extension Service

Athens, GA

September 11, 2001

Collaboration

The University of Georgia – Lead Institution Department of Foods and Nutrition Department of Food Science and TechnologyDepartment of Housing and Consumer Economics

Alabama A&M University – 4-yr Partner Department of Food and Animal Sciences

University of California-DavisDepartment of Food Sciences and Technology

University of Puerto Rico-MayagüezDepartment of Food Science and Technology

Advisory Committee

Composed of individuals from Auburn UniversityClemson UniversityColorado State UniversityCornell UniversityKansas State UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityUniversity of California-DavisWashington State University

Alltrista Consumer Products CompanyNational Presto Industries, Inc.

Goals

A National Center for Home Food Preservation was initially established to update USDA-CSREES canning and freezing

guidelines and the database supporting such guidelines; to specifically add recommendations that emphasize the

use of nontraditional fruits and vegetables (e.g., tropicals) and popular consumer specialty foods such as salsas, relishes, sauces and chutneys;

identify future research needs; finalize a USDA Complete Guide to Home Freezing and update the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.

Goals, continued

In Year 2, the goals were broadened to include researching and updating other methods of home

food preservation and develop multiple dissemination methods for

existing and new recommendations.

Objectives! Collect and critically review literature relevant to home food

preservation techniques and guidelines.

! Update the current guidelines, incorporating new or revised recommendations as appropriate.

! Develop and test new recipes (products) and guidelines on home food processing and preservation methods that emphasize: (a) popular consumer specialty foods; (b) safety guidelines for processing food in community cannery settings; and (c) applications of updated technology, such as microwave blanching for food freezing.

! Establish distribution mechanisms for dissemination of guidelines.

! Identify areas where further research in home food processing and preservation techniques is needed.

Product Development

Mango salsas and chutney Mango relish Tomatillo relish Spicy jicama and watermelon rind relishes Pickled jicama Sweet pickles with Splenda® Jams/jellies with tropical fruits Hot pepper sauces Lemon curd/butter Sauces/marinades

Basic Research

Microbial profiles of selected fresh herbs and whole spices used in home preparation of flavored vinegars, salsas, oils.

Supports the use of a chlorine wash to reduce loads prior to flavoring vinegars.

Effect of pressure canner size on heat penetration in stewed tomatoes.

6 qt and 8 qt cooker, 17 qt canner. 15 psig, due to controls on the 6 and 8 qt cookers as sold.

Other Research Questions

Documenting effect of fill weight on heat penetration in a pickled product (boiling water canning).

Microwave blanching for freezing vegetables.

Accuracy of metal can recommendations for community canneries.

Accuracy and testing issues with dial gauges for canners.

Survival and outgrowth of C. botulinum in garlic/oil products.

Surveys

Survey of State and County Extension Faculty Email in March 2000. Responses from 225 Extension agents representing 24 states. 45 percent of home food preservation requests are for canning, 21

percent for freezing and 12-13 percent for pickles and jams/ jellies. Most requested processes are for condiments. Issues regarding processing equipment and evaluating recipes were

cited by more than 50 percent of respondents. Being used to prioritize work for additional laboratory studies.

Surveys, continued

Nationwide telephone survey Home canning and freezing practices. Original instrument, ~ 10 minute interview.

68 closed-response or open-ended questions Conducted by the Survey Research Center, University of Georgia,

in the fall of 2000. Cross-section of the adult U.S. population. Data obtained from 500 completed interviews, out of 1,244 eligible

contacts (40% cooperation).

Surveys, continued

Nationwide telephone survey Out of the 500 responses:

27 percent can food. 94 percent freeze food other than what is bought in the grocery

store already frozen.

Very few aware if directions come from Extension Service. Improper canning practices cited in many categories:

Boiling water canning for vegetables. Pressure cookers for vegetables. Open kettle canning, oven canning still cited.

Surveys, continued

Nationwide telephone survey Still being analyzed. Need to do cross-tabulations to look at issues such as

spoilage by methods used Still need to characterize freezing practices. Will most likely repeat soon; there has been no national

pubic survey since USDA published in mid-1970’s.

Communications

Complete Guide to Home Freezing being finalized and readied for layout.

Will be available on-line and perhaps other ways.

Complete Guide to Home Canning will be updated after freezing guide finished. 1994 revision is the current version. New Center products will be released first on website.

Technical bulletins being written to summarize literature searches and critical preservation points for various methods.

Communications, continued

Website Phase I: Resource for the CES. Release of National Center guidelines and findings. Publications, how-to answers, links to the state Extension

publications. Survey and situational information, background on USDA roles and

publications, slide presentations. On-line self-study course for educators.

Master Food Preserver model curriculum

Video series (update of So Easy to Preserve)

Communications, continued

Future? Website: more interactive, responsive to inquiries, more

links. National videoconference for the CES with updates? Regional/national workshops for Extension educators?

Let us hear from you, the CES! If you didn’t answer the Extension educator email survey

and would like a copy to answer, contact me. Surveys of clientele, outreach and outcome reports from

states and counties, etc., can be shared with others.

Elizabeth Andress

eandress@uga.edu

Georgia Food Preservation publications: http://www.fcs.uga.edu/extension/food_pubs.php http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubs/pubsubj.html - Family

Look for titles “Preserving Food…….”

So Easy to Preserve, for-sale publication, $15 4th edition is current http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/publications_setp.html

Disclaimer

References to commercials products, services, and information is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the University of Georgia, U.S. Department of Agriculture and supporting organizations is implied.  This information is provided for the educational information and convenience of the reader.

Document Use: Permission is granted to reproduce these materials in whole or in part for

educational purposes only (not for profit beyond the cost of reproduction) provided the authors and the University of Georgia receive acknowledgment and this notice is included:

Reprinted with permission of the University of Georgia. Andress, E.L. 2001. National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service.

This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 00-51110-9762.