—Eating dried foods as soon as possible
—Using liquid remaining after reconstitution in recipes
Storage of Home-Preserved Foods
by Ralph W. Johnston[17]
Proper storage of home-preserved foods, especially of home-canned products, and close scrutiny before serving are essential. If proper storage requirements are not met, home-preserved foods may lose their quality or spoil.
Homemakers should observe some simple techniques for checking home-canned foods before serving them. This will help prevent consumption of food that could cause the rare but extremely dangerous food poisoning called botulism.
Most canned foods are highly perishable yet do not require refrigeration until opened. Unlike frozen foods, they are unaffected by power interruptions or mechanical failures.
However, the hazard of botulism must always be kept in mind. Although botulism is rare, it results in a high death rate of about 65 percent among its victims. Yet it is an easy problem to avoid. Botulism results when home-canned foods are improperly processed. Under these conditions, the spore (a seed-like structure which is highly heat-resistant) of a soil bacterium called Clostridium botulinum may survive.
If the food product is low in acidity, as with peas, corn, or beans, the spore can germinate (sprout) and grow during storage at room temperatures. As Clostridium botulinum grows, it produces a powerful poison that when ingested can cause severe illness or death. Most cases of botulism in the United States stem from home-canned foods.
The home canner can avoid botulism primarily by following prescribed, reliable processing instructions such as those given in USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 8, Home Canning of Fruits and Vegetables. If you don’t have reliable processing instructions, don’t attempt home canning. If you have these instructions, read them before and during home canning and do not take short cuts or modify the instructions.