General Canning Procedure
Selecting Fruits and Vegetables for Canning
Choose fresh, firm fruits and young, tender vegetables. Can them before they lose their freshness. If you must hold them, keep them in a cool, airy place. If you buy fruits and vegetables to can, try to get them from a nearby garden or orchard.
For best quality in the canned product, use only perfect fruits and vegetables. Sort them for size and ripeness; they cook more evenly that way.
Washing
Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, whether or not they are to be pared. Dirt contains some of the bacteria hardest to kill. Wash small lots at a time, under running water or through several changes of water. Lift the food out of the water each time so dirt that has been washed off won’t go back on the food. Rinse pan thoroughly between washings. Don’t let fruits or vegetables soak; they may lose flavor and food value. Handle them gently to avoid bruising.
Filling Containers
Raw pack or hot pack.—Fruits and vegetables may be packed raw into glass jars or tin cans or preheated and packed hot. In this publication directions for both raw and hot packs are given for most of the foods.
Most raw fruits and vegetables should be packed tightly into the container because they shrink during processing; a few—like corn, lima beans, and peas—should be packed loosely because they expand.
Hot food should be packed fairly loosely. It should be at or near boiling temperature when it is packed.