As research has evolved over the years, so has our knowledge of safe practices in food preservation. UWE recommends following scientifically researched and tested home canning recipes to ensure a safe, quality product. One of the most common errors in home canning is not using a scientifically tested recipe after 2014. Canning a non-tested recipe is risky as it can cause spoilage and foodborne illness. Spores of Clostridium botulinum, the organism that causes botulism, are present in most foods. Botulism can’t be seen, smelled, or tasted, so the best way to ensure your home-canned products are safe is to use recipes from a research-based resource. Two factors that play a major role in the safety of a recipe are pH and consistency of the product.

• pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. pH is an important factor because of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, a microorganism that produces a deadly toxin known as botulism. It is dependent on the pH of the product whether water bath canning or pressure canning is the correct way to preserve your food.
• Consistency is important as it influences the time it takes to heat the product to the proper temperature to kill harmful microorganisms. If the consistency is too thick, it can be difficult for the product to reach the necessary temperature throughout the jar.

UWE strongly recommends that you not use untested canning methods and recipes from unreliable resources such as magazines, cookbooks, the internet, relatives, and friends. When looking at recipes online, always refer to the resource the recipe came from. If it is not a resource such as those listed, consider going directly to these evidence-based resources and finding a similar recipe. Reliable food preservation methods from these sources are designed to kill or control the growth of C. botulinum and other disease-causing organisms. Preserving food using the most updated research-based methods is imperative for your safety and the safety of those you feed.