Life Skills - Canning

Students learned about canning different types of foods with different canning techniques.

The Art of Canning

The art of canning has been around since the Nineteenth century. In 1795 Napoleon Bonaparte, (yes, him), offered a reward for someone to develop a food preserving method for his army. Fifteen years later, Nicholas Appeart met the challenge by introducing heat processed foods in glass containers using wax as a sealant. This method is still used today with some jellies and jams.

In 1858, John Mason developed the canning method using designed glass containers, or “mason jars”, using a screw on top with a rubber seal. During the lesson, Mr. Jesse talked about different methods of safe canning. He explained about the importance of pH when considering canning foods.

The water bath method of canning requires foods with higher acidity, like tomatoes, to ensure that all bacteria is killed at 220°F. When canning items with low acidity, like meats and beans, the canning method to use is pressure canning. Jars are placed inside a pressure canner, with safety measures built in, to ensure a minimum temperature of 240°F.

#canning #lifeskills #foodpreservation.