SCIENTIFIC PRESERVING.

Shannon News, 19 February 1924, Page 2

SCIENTIFIC PRESERVING.

“Sterilise the fruit and then keep it airtight.” Miss M. Dyer, household science lecturer at King's College for Women, London, stated recently that those two elementary principles wc.ro the best combatants against putrefac- , tion in bottled fruit or preserves. “If the fruit is not sufficiently sterilised in cooking it will be attacked by bacteria,” Miss Dyer explained. “Then follows either fermentation or mildew and the fruit is doomed. The jars should bo fastened airtight immediately after the sterilisation is done and the temperature of the storeroom kept as even and cool as possible. Unripe fruit is the best for bottling, and it is quite safe to do it without sugar. Stone or core the large fruits and choose sound, unripe, soft fruits. Pack the fruit tightly into the bottles and fill up with water. Then sterilise. “There are several methods of doing this. One of the easiest ways is in a fish kettle, a preserving pan, or in a copper, with water coming half-way up the out side of the jars. The water should bo brought slowly to a boil. Another simple method is done by placing the bottles on slats of wood or a 1 piece of cardboard in a moderately warm oven until the fruit is tender, adding boiling water if necessary when done. It is difficult to maintain one steady temperature in oven fruit-bot-tling, but the heat should be kept as near as possibly to 160 deg. Fah. A little over that temperature will not be harmful to the preserve, which, however, should not be allowed to boil.” To avoid bottles and jars bursting and other accidents, be careful not. to have any tops screwed down during cooking. If fruit-bottling is being done in an improvised steriliser, wisps of bay or straw or pieces of cloth should be placed between the jars to prevent any breakage or cracking. Small fruits bottle best in syrup, sary. Let the syrup become cold before which may be made as follows: —Allow lib of loaf or granulated sugar to each quart of water required. Put sugar and water into a pan, stir until the former has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil for about Ihour. Skim when necestle down tightly before removing. the pouring it over the fruit. Then sterilise in tire usual way. Fruit bottled in syrup, especially strawberries, usually shrinks a good deal. In this case fill cue bottle up from another, wipe the. rims,, and re-sterilise. Screw each bot-! next from the pan.