Glossary of Terms (A-L)

Title:
Glossary of Terms (A-L)

Yield:
1 Half

Categories:
Canning,
Information




Ingredients:









 Acid foods - Foods which contain enough acid to result in a pH of 4.6 or


 lower. Includes all fruits except figs; most tomatoes; fermented and


 pickled vegetables; relishes; and jams, jellies, and marmalades. Acid foods


 may be processed in boiling water.


 


 Altitude - The vertical elevation of a location above sea level.


 


 Ascorbic acid - The chemical name for vitamin C. Lemon juice contains large


 quantities of ascorbic acid and is commonly used to prevent browning of


 peeled, light-colored fruits and vegetables.


 


 Bacteria - A large group of one-celled microorganisms widely distributed in


 nature. See microorganism.


 


 Blancher - A 6 to 8 quart lidded pot designed with a fitted perforated


 basket to hold food in boiling water, or with a fitted rack to steam foods.


 Useful for loosening skins on fruits to be peeled, or for heating foods to


 be hot packed.


 


 Boiling-water canner - A large standard-sized lidded kettle with jar rack,


 designed for heat-processing 7 quarts or 8 to 9 pints in boiling water.


 


 Botulism - An illness caused by eating toxin produced by growth of


 Clostridium botulinum bacteria in moist, low-acid food, containing less


 than 2 percent oxygen, and stored between 40 degrees and 120 degrees F.


 Proper heat processing destroys this bacterium in canned food. Freezer


 temperatures inhibit its growth in frozen food. Low moisture controls its


 growth in dried food. High oxygen controls its growth in fresh foods.


 


 Canning - A method of preserving food in air-tight vacuum-sealed containers


 and heat processing sufficiently to enable storing the food at normal-home


 temperatures.


 


 Canning salt - Also called pickling salt. It is regular table salt without


 the anticaking or iodine additives.


 


 Citric acid - A form of acid that can be added to canned foods. It


 increases the acidity of low-acid foods and may improve the flavor and


 color.


 


 Cold pack - Canning procedure in which jars are filled with raw food. "Raw


 pack" is the preferred term for describing this practice. "Cold pack" is


 often used incorrectly to refer to foods that are open-kettle canned or


 jars that are heat-processed in boiling water.


 


 Enzymes - Proteins in food which accelerate many flavor, color, texture,


 and nutritional changes, especially when food is cut, sliced, crushed,


 bruised, and exposed to air. Proper blanching or hot-packing practices


 destroy enzymes and improve food quality.


 


 Exhausting - Removal of air from within and around food and from jars and


 canners. Blanching exhausts air from live food tissues. Exhausting or


 venting of pressure canners is necessary to prevent a risk of botulism in


 low-acid canned foods.


 


 Fermentation - Changes in food caused by intentional growth of bacteria,


 yeast, or mold. Native bacteria ferment natural sugars to lactic acid, a


 major flavoring and preservative in sauerkraut and in naturally fermented


 dills. Alcohol, vinegar, and some dairy products are also fermented foods.


 


 Headspace - The unfilled space above food or liquid in jars. Allows for


 food expansion as jars are heated, and for forming vacuums as jars cool.


 


 Heat processing - Treatment of jars with sufficient heat to enable storing


 food at normal home temperatures.


 


 Hermetic seal - An absolutely airtight container seal which prevents


 reentry of air or microorganisms into packaged foods.


 


 Hot pack - Heating of raw food in boiling water or steam and filling it hot


 into jars.


 


 Low-acid foods - Foods which contain very little acid and have a pH above


 4.6. The acidity in these foods is insufficient to prevent the growth of


 the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Vegetables, some tomatoes, figs, all


 meats, fish, seafoods, and some dairy foods are low acid. To control all


 risks of botulism, jars of these foods must be (1) heat processed in a


 pressure canner, or (2) acidified to a pH of 4.6 or lower before processing


 in boiling water.


 


 ======================================================= === * USDA


 Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994) * Meal-Master format


 courtesy of Karen Mintzias


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini