Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600942
10/13/97
To maintain good natural color and flavor in stored canned food, you must:
* Remove oxygen from food tissues and jars. * Quickly destroy (inactivate) the food enzymes. * Obtain high jar vacuums and airtight jar seals.
Follow these guidelines to ensure that your canned foods retain optimum colors and flavors during processing and storage:
* Use only high-quality foods which are at the proper maturity and are free of diseases and bruises. * Use the hot-pack method, especially with acid foods to be processed in boiling water. * Don't unnecessarily expose prepared foods to air. Can them as soon as possible. * Fill hot foods into jars and adjust headspace as specified in recipes. * Tighten screw bands securely, but if you are especially strong, not as tightly as possible. * Process and cool jars. * Store the jars in a relatively cool, dark place, preferably between 50 and 70 degrees F. * Can no more food than you will use within a year.