As gardening season begins, people may already be wondering how to manage their garden's bounty. Don’t know what to do with all your tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, apples, pears, plums and grapes from your garden and fruit trees? Have you considered preserving them?
Everything you need to know about canning and food preservation is available in USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning. This resource is for people canning for the first time or for experienced canners wanting to improve their canning practices. The information is based on research conducted by the National Center for Home Food Preservation in cooperation with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
The guide contains many research-based recommendations for canning safer and better-quality food at home. Users can explore scientific principles on which canning techniques are based, discusses canning equipment, and describes the proper use of jars and lids. The guide contains basic canning ingredients and procedures and how to use them to achieve safe, high-quality canned products. Users can also search for specific foods, procedures, and recipes.
The free web resource is on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.
Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. Canning excess food, whether from the grocery store or the garden, is an excellent way to reduce food waste and improve nutrition security by ensuring you always have healthy, tasty food whenever you need it.