National Center for Home Food Preservation Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D.

National Center for Home Food Preservation Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D. Project Director National Center for Home Food Preservation Associate Professor and Extension Food Safety Specialist The University of Georgia Department of Foods and Nutrition College of Family and Consumer Sciences National Center for Home Food Preservation

Modern Methods of Home Food Preservation Canning Freezing Drying Pickling Sugar concentrates jams, jellies, butters, preserves, etc. Curing, smoking National Center for Home Food Preservation

National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 National Center for Home Food Preservation

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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 Superseded four H&G Bulletins 1988, 1989, 1994 Collaboration with the Cooperative Extension System (Penn State University).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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 Preservation

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, multidisciplinary, and multi-functional research, extension, and education activities. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 scientificallyvalidated 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 Preservation

National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation The University of Georgia – Lead Institution Department of Foods and Nutrition Department of Food Science and Technology Department 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-Mayagüez Department of Food Science and Technology National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 National Center for Home Food Preservation

Advisory Committee Composed of individuals from Auburn University Clemson University Colorado State University Cornell University Kansas State University North Carolina State University University of California-Davis Washington State University Alltrista Consumer Products Company National Presto Industries, Inc. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 National Center for Home Food Preservation

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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

Why ? Do people still can (preserve) food at home? National Center for Home Food Preservation

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 Center for Home Food Preservation

National Survey 2000 National Center for Home Food Preservation National Center for 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 National Center for Home Food Preservation

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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

Current Canning Practices Methods of Canning Fruits and Tomatoes Boiling water 58 % Pressure canner 15 % Pressure cooker 18 % Open kettle 21 % Oven 4% National Center for Home Food Preservation

Current Canning Practices Methods of Canning Vegetables Pressure canner 30 % Pressure cooker 29 % Boiling water 40 % Open kettle 16 % Oven 3% National Center for Home Food Preservation

Current Canning Practices Dial Gauge Testing Of those using a pressure canner, tested in 1999 Yes* 24 % No 59 % No dial gauge 11 % 46% at hardware store, 31% at Extension Service 1 at appliance repair store, 1 by “mother” National Center for Home Food Preservation

Botulism from Home Canned and Processed Foods, 1970-80 90 80 70 60 50 # Cases #Outbreaks 40 30 20 10 0 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 National Center for Home Food Preservation 1980

Other Work in Process Research 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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

Other Work in Process Communications 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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

National Center for Home Food Preservation

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. National Center for Home Food Preservation

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