ACID FOODS - Foods that contain enough acid to result in a pH of 4.6 or lower. Some foods may contain very little natural acid but have a sufficient amount of vinegar, citric acid, or lemon juice added to them to be classified as acids in canning.
ANTIOXIDANT - Is an affect agent that inhibits the oxidation of cut fruits and vegetables as well as controls discoloration. Lemon juice, ascorbic acid or a blend of ascorbic and citric acid are all antioxidants.
BACTERIA - Microorganisms which are found in the soil, water, and air around us. In certain low-acid conditions, some bacteria can produce harmful toxins. Proper heat processing of low-acid foods in the steam-pressure canner destroys harmful toxins.
BAND - A threaded metal band used in combination with a flat metal vacuum sealing lid to form a two-piece cap.
BLANCH - To dip fruits and vegetables in boiling water to loosen their skins. Blanching vegetables in boiling water or steam also slows the action of enzymes.
BOIL - To heat to 212 degrees at sea level.
BOILING-WATER CANNER - A deep kettle equipped with a jar rack and lid. It must be large enough to completely immerse capped canning jars, allowing 1 to 2-inches of water to cover jars. A boiling-water container is required for heat processing high-acid foods.
BOTULISM - An illness caused by ingesting a toxin produced from the spores of Clostridium botulinum bacteria under conditions favorable for its growth. Proper selection, preparation, packing and heat processing destroys this bacterium in canned foods.
CAP - Two-piece metal closure used to form a vacuum seal on home canning jars. (See Two-Piece Vacuum Cap)
CITRIC ACID - An acid derived from certain citrus fruits used to increase the acidity of tomatoes. It also controls discoloration of cut fruits.
COOL PLACE - A location with a temperature ideal for storing jars of home canned foods - usually between 50 and 70 degrees.
ENZYME - A protein in foods that affects changes in flavor, color, texture, and nutritional value. The preservation methods for canning and freezing destroy the action of enzymes.
HEADSPACE - The unfilled space in a home canning jar between the top of the food or liquid and the underside of the lid. Headspace is necessary for food expansion as jars are heated, and for forming a vacuum as jars cool.
HOT PACK - Filling hot jars with precooked, hot food prior to processing.
JAR - A glass container specially designed and heat-treated for use in home canning.
LID - The flat metal disc with flanged edges, having a rubber-like sealing compound on its underside. Used as part of the two-piece vacuum cap for sealing home canning jars.
LOW-ACID FOOD - Foods having a pH of 4.6 or higher. To destroy harmful bacteria, their spors and the toxins they produce, low-acid foods must be processed in a steam-pressure canner at 240 degrees. Adjustments are necessary at elevations higher than 1,000 feet above sea level.
MICROORGANISM - A microscopic fungi that appear as fuzz on food. Molds may grown on acid foods like jams, jellies, and canned fruits. Proper heat processing inhibits mold growth.
PECTIN - A natural substance, found in varying amounts in fruits, that acts to form a complex gelatinous structure. It is used to make jams, jellies, and other soft spreads gel. Commercial powdered and liquid pectins are not interchangeable.
pH - A measure of acidity or alkalinity. On a scale of 0 to 14, a value of 7 is neutral, values lower than 7 are increasingly acidic, and values higher than 7 are increasingly alkaline. In canning, a food's pH determines the appropriate processing method.
PICKLE CRISP - Pickle Crisp is Calcium Chloride. It is easy to make crispy, crunchy pickles with Pickle Crisp. Simply add Pickle Crisp to each jar of pickles before processing. Pickle Crisp does not burn like lime and there is NO messy clean-up.
PICKLING LIME - Pickling Lime is also known as Calcium Hydroxide. It is a white powder that dissolves in cold water and is used only as a pre-soak to crisp pickles. Pickling Lime is very caustic and may burn eyes, nose, and skin.
PROCESSING - Sterilizing jars and the food they contain in a steam-pressure or boiling-water canner to destry harmful microorganisms.
RAW PACK - Filling jars with raw, unheated food prior to processing. This term is preferred over "Cold Pack".
ROUND UP ONTO A SPOON - This is a term used to describe when a fruit butter has achieved the desired thickness. The mixture will separate as a spoon is stirred through it, leaving a path where the spoon just passed. Fruit butter will form a mound on the spoon.
SIMMER - To cook just below the boiling point in the range between 180 and 200 degrees.
SPICE BAG - A muslin bag or cheesecloth square used to hold whole spices and/or herbs that is added to a mixture to extract flavorings during cooking.
STEAM-PRESSURE CANNER - A heavy kettle fitted with a jar rack and a lid that can be locked in place and that has a safety valve, a vent and a pressure gauge. A steam-pressure canner is required for heat processing low-acid foods.
SYRUP - A water/sugar or juice/sugar mixture used to add liquid to canned or frozen products.
TWO-PIECE VACUUM CAP - A metal closure for sealing home canning jars. It consists of a screw band and a flanged lid, the underside of which is coated with a rubber-like sealing compound.
VACUUM SEAL - The absence of normal air pressure in jars that are airtight. After heat processing and upon cooling, air is forced from the jar causing a vacuum seal. The sealing compound on the lid prevents air from reentering.
VENTING - Forcing air to escape from a jar by applying heat. Or, permitting air to escape from a steam-pressure canner.
YEAST - Microscopic fungi that cause fermentation in foods. They are easily destroyed at a temperature of 212 degrees.