national center for home food preservation elizabeth l. andress, ph.d. project director national...

National Center for Home Food Preservation


Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D.

Project Director


Associate Professor and Extension Food Safety Specialist

The University of Georgia

Department of Foods and Nutrition

College of Family and Consumer Sciences


Modern Methods ofHome Food Preservation

Canning Freezing Drying Pickling Sugar concentrates

jams, jellies, butters, preserves, etc. Curing, smoking


USDA Historical Support USDA has history of

making canning recommendations. Canning – series of

Farmers Bulletins Began 1909; ran through

1942.

WW I – Can the Kaiser WW II – Victory Gardens


USDA Historical Support USDA has history of making

recommendations. 1944-1946 – Application of current scientific

methods to canning processes.– Technical Bulletins with heat

penetration studies.

1950s – Home freezing research.

1945-1982 – Home and Garden Bulletins.– Canning, pickling, jams/jellies, freezing.


USDA Home Canning History

Tomatoes

1970s Reported botulism

1974-78 Acidulation and metabiosis

USDA Eastern Regional Research Lab

1981-88 Processing times re-evaluated

Penn State University funded projects


USDA Historical Support

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Superseded four H&G Bulletins 1988, 1989, 1994 Collaboration with the Cooperative Extension

System (Penn State University).

Complete Guide to Home Freezing Drafted in 1990’s; not published.


Cooperative Extension System

USDA history interwoven with the land-grant agriculture colleges and universities system.

Experiment Stations conducted/conduct research. Cooperative Extension Service – teaching of

methods and distribution of USDA publications. More recently integration of applied research and

outreach.– 1980’s – Center of Excellence at Penn State.

– Current – National Center, multi-state.


National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation

Funding from the CSREES-USDA (2000-2004). Cooperative State Research, Education and

Extension Service National Integrated Food Safety Initiative Priority issues in food safety best solved using an

integrated approach. Support multi-state, multi-institutional, multi-

disciplinary, and multi-functional research, extension, and education activities.


National Center for HFP Established to provide an integrated research,

Extension and education approach. Support for the USDA and the Cooperative Extension

System with current, reliable and scientifically-validated guidelines on home food preservation.

Components: Updating USDA-CSREES canning and freezing publications; Applied research to develop new products and validating or

adapting older methods; Dissemination methods for recommendations, emphasizing

the Cooperative Extension System resources. Educating a “new generation” of students and teachers.


National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation

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-Davis – 2-yr Partner Department of Food Sciences and Technology

University of Puerto Rico-MayagüezDepartment of Food Science and Technology


University of Georgia Team

Foods and Nutrition Dr. Elizabeth Andress, Principal Investigator Dr. Judy Harrison, Co-PI Dr. Brian Nummer, Project Coordinator Dr. Elaine D’sa, Research Coordinator Jimmy Hansen, Web Site Administrator

Food Science & Technology Dr. Mark Harrison, Co-PI Dr. William Kerr, Co-PI Dr. Sung-Gil Choi, Lab Technician

Housing and Consumer Economics Dr. Anne Sweaney, Team Member


Alabama A&M University Team

Food and Animal Sciences Dr. Lloyd Walker, Principal Investigator Dr. John Anderson

Other Collaborators

University of California-Davis Dr. Linda Harris

University of Puerto-Rico, Mayagüez Dr. Edna Negrón


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.


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


Applied 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.


Other Research Questions Documenting effect of fill weight on heat penetration.

Jicama relish/salsa• An increase of 118 grams solids per pint jar significantly increased

the heat penetration rate (fh) and more than doubled the required processing time for this product.

• A decrease of 5°C in the initial fill temperature did not change the heat penetration rate (fh) or processing time for this product.


Other Research Questions

Alabama A&M University Microwave blanching for freezing vegetables. Accuracy and testing issues with dial gauges for

canners.

University of California-Davis Survival and outgrowth of C. botulinum in garlic/oil

products.


Why ??

Do people still can (preserve) food at home?


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.


National Survey 2000

National Centerfor Home Food Preservation


Survey 2000 To determine activity in home canning and freezing,

and use of critical safety practices.

500 complete telephone interviews from households randomly selected across the U.S. Individual telephone interviews 38 questions on canning 42 questions on freezing

Conducted by Survey Research Center, University of Georgia. October 24, 2000 and January 10, 2001


Current Canning Practices

135 (of 500) reported canning foods. Sources of instructions

friends or relatives (48%) cookbooks (19%) jar manufacturers (10%) USDA or Extension Service (6%)

67% (90) of the respondents used their home canning instructions ‘as is’ 29% (39) adapted them for use.



Methods of Canning Fruits and Tomatoes

Boiling water 58 %

Pressure canner 15 %

Pressure cooker 18 %

Open kettle 21 %

Oven 4 %



Methods of Canning Vegetables

Pressure canner 30 %

Pressure cooker 29 %

Boiling water 40 %

Open kettle 16 %

Oven 3 %



Dial Gauge TestingOf those using a pressure

canner, tested in 1999

46% at hardware store, 31% at Extension Service

1 at appliance repair store, 1 by “mother”

Yes* 24 %

No 59 %

No dial gauge 11 %


Botulism from Home Canned and Processed Foods, 1970-80

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980

# Cases

#Outbreaks


Other Work in ProcessResearch Evaluating long-standing recipes for home

cured meats/sausages; validating basic recipes.

Developing original reduced fat sausages.

Continued development of “specialty” foods – salsas, sugar concentrates, relishes, sauces and marinades.

Looking at sugar substitution for sweet pickles and spreads.

Equipment issues – canner size and steam canners.


Other Work in ProcessCommunications and Education

Website: www.homefoodpreservation.com

Emphasizing resources in the nationwide Cooperative Extension System and from USDA.

Dissemination mechanism for NCHFP products. Publishing literature reviews and technical bulletins of critical

preservation points.

Research presentations and abstracts.

Factsheets – e.g., new products for home canning.

How to’s for consumers.

Resources and historical information for educators.

Slides shows, graphics galleries, exhibit ideas.

Flash tutorials on the basics of home food preservation.

On-line course for self-study coming in 2004.


Other Work in Process

Communications and Education

Publishing Complete Guide to Home Freezing in 2003; then updated Complete Guide to Home Canning in 2004.

Master Food Preserver model curriculum for states to use.

Educational video series.


Disclaimer and Credits

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.

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.

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. 2003. National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service.

national center for home food preservation elizabeth l. andress, ph.d. project director national...

Documents

home food preservation

home food processing

current national center

national center fo

s home freezing research

preservation funding

cooperative state research

s center of excellence