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Healthy Connection
By Abbie Lambert Abbie Lambert is a Missouri State University dietetic intern and graduate student who is passionate about helping others live long and healthy lives through nutrition. Her nutrition interests include community nutrition, Health at Every Size, and intuitive eating.
Grow, Preserve, Enjoy Later
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As fall winds down and winter sets in, the ability to find fresh fruits and vegetables begins to decline. What if there was a way to have your favorite produce available all year round? Through home food preservation – you can! Home food preservation is a way to extend the life of homegrown or locally purchased foods by slowing the growth of bacteria and oxidation of fat that causes spoilage. Three traditional preservation processes include canning, drying and freezing. Canning is a process that uses heat and pressure to preserve vegetables, fruits and meats. There are two types of canning methods: pressure and water bath canning. The type of canner used is dependent on the acidity of the food. Low acid foods provide a good environment for the growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum (C. Bot), which is naturally found on the skins of many fruits and vegetables. In a low acid, high moisture, anerobic (without oxygen) environment like the one created by low acid food canned foods, C. Bot can produce a harmful toxin called botulism which causes illness and can be fatal. To prevent this, pressure canners are used to can low acid foods as they reach a higher temperature than water bath canners, which are used for high acid and acidified foods. Low acid foods include vegetables and meats, while high acid foods include fruit. Tomatoes and any fermented or pickled products like sauerkraut and cucumber pickles are acidified foods as they have acid added to them. When preserved correctly, home canned foods can be enjoyed for up to 18 months. Drying or dehydrating foods is another way to preserve food, especially for herbs and spices. Dehydrating methods include electric dehydrators, oven drying, microwave drying, or air drying. Sun drying is not recommended in the Midwest due to the high humidity levels. A bit of a lengthier preservation method, dehydrating foods can take anywhere from a few hours to days to complete. After the food is dried, it should be stored in an air-tight container.
Freezing is an easy and convenient way to preserve food and leftovers for later. This method slows the growth of bacteria and enzymes, therefore slowing the deterioration of foods. However, frozen foods often have a softer texture once they thaw. As foods freeze, ice crystals form and burst cell walls that provide structure within the foods, resulting in a softer or musher texture. Regardless of what preservation method you use, foods should be preserved right after harvest at their peak ripeness. This not only provides the best results but also locks in the nutrients – including vitamins and minerals – within the food.
Where to find safe home food preservation resources: It’s important when preserving food at home to always follow safe food preservation processes, including appropriate recipes and canners. Recipes should be evidence-based and tested within a lab for their acidity, sugar, salt, and water content. When prepared correctly, these recipes are scientifically safe to use to preserve food. Information on preservation recipes and methods can be found through state Extension websites, the U.S Department of Agriculture website, and the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
