Home Food Preservation

Preserving food for your family and friends is rewarding and satisfying. Using correct preservation methods is the key to providing safe, healthy food for your family. There are a variety of preservation methods to use.

The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (1994) provides current information on preservation methods.

If you have a question about food preservation, go to Penn State's Home Food Preservation Forum and search for an answer or contact the extension office.

Canning
Home canning is the process where foods are placed in jars or cans and heated to temperatures to destroy microorganisms. The heating and cooling creates a vacuum seal.

Freezing
Frozen foods are more like fresh foods than canned or dried foods. Most are blanched in boiling water before being packed into containers and frozen at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pickles and Relishes
As one of the oldest known methods of preservation, pickled products are either fermented in a salt brine or packed in vinegar to aid in preservation. Pickled products need to be processed in a boiling water bath to ensure safety.

Jams and Jellies
Jams, jellies, conserves, marmalades, preserves, and butters all use fruits, sugar and additional ingredients to make spreads of different consistencies. Vegetables can also be used to create a variety of spreads.

Dehydrating
Home drying of food is easy to do. Success depends on proper heat control, dry air and good air circulation. Dehydrated food is safe because it does not have enough moisture for bacteria to grow.

If you have a question about food preservation, go to Penn State's Home Food Preservation Forum and search for an answer or contact

Carolyn Wissenbach
26 West High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
Phone: 724-627-3745
Fax: 724-852-4318
E-mail: cxw32@psu.edu