Bottling Preview

Chronicle (Levin), 9 December 1948, Page 5

Bottling Preview

"Forewarned is forearmed" and before any of us realises it the bottling season will be npon us. A brief review of the bottling principles. The few points that must be romembered eannot be emphasised too much. To be suceessful, bottling must accomplish two' feats: (1) Stop enzymatic action, and (2) destroy yeast, mould and bacteria. Enzy-mes are present in all fresh; food. They are responsible for the normal ripening of i'ruits and vegetables and for the tendering of meat tissues. Onee this ripening process is? completed, however, enzyme action must be promptly halted or deesly will result. Extrcme heat or cold eh.ecks enzyme action; hence the use of bot-. tling, eanning or freezing for food preservation results. Yeast and moulds are present at' all times in air, water, and soil. Their growlh, too, is inhibited by extreme heat or cold. Since these. yeast and mould spores are everywhere, food must be sealed in airtight containers to prevent contamination. Prepare ahead for your bottling, by carefullv checking in advance each individuai piece of equipment needed, so that when actual bottling begins there will be no unnecessary delays. G-lass jars are in most common use as home bottling eontainers. When earefuliy, handled they last several years. One may seleet from several types which vary somewhat in shape, in size and in manner of seal. Glass jars are available in four sizes: half-pints, pints, quarts and half-gallons. The piht and quart sizes are in most common use. It is unwise to use the half-gallon size for non-acid vegetables and meats because; of the slower heat penetration, which 1 naturally demands longer -processing. All jars must have perfect rinis with no nicks or cracks. There are four separate and distinet types of closures: — 1. The two-pieee eap eonsists of a screw band and a flat metal dise or lid on which a rubber sealing compound has been placed. This takes the place of a separate rubber ring. When thejar is filled and the edges wiped clean of any food, the metal di3C or lid is put on with the Tubber side down and the screw band set in plaee and firmlyserewed before processing. To test_ seal, wait for 24 hours after processing," then tap gently with a spoon. A clear. ringing sound indiea£es a perfect seal, a dull sound no seal, in which ease the food must be reprocessed. The screw band may then be removed and used for subsequent eanning as l'ong as it is not bent. 2. The bail type jar has a separate rubber ring which is placed on the shoulder of the jar, the glass top and' bail set in place, and the short. wire ofthe bail left up until after processing, then snapped down tightly. 3. The thxee-piece closure has a separate rubber ring, glass lid andmetal screw band. Here the rubber ring is placed in the groove around the outer edge of the glass* lid, the two set ' in position on the filled jar and the metal band screwed -tightly to complete « the seal. To test, wait -24 hours after processing, then remove metal band and lift jar by the lid. 4. The Mason cap is of zinc with a porcelain lining and separate rubber ring. Set the rubber- ring in place on' the jar. Fiil jar. W-ipe'if neeessary. Put on cap, screw down tightly, then slightly loosen as in type 3. After pro- . cessing, serew down tightly and keep cap on jar until food is used. With a perfect seal the eap will be .slightly in-, dented on top after -jar has cooled for 24 hours. Whatever' type of jar is used, the jar , rubbers and eaps must -be -Bterilised in, boiling water before use. With liquids" the jars may -be filled to within one. half-inch of the top; ,with solid foods only 'to "within one inch of the top of the jar. Where separate rubber rings; are used, they must be bought new ,eaeh - year. Never use left-over rings. ' The ' tehsion of the rubber changes and -used rings may; not make a perfeet fieal,