NEW ZEALAND WOMEN ARE KEEN HOME PRESERVERS

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 4, 19 January 1971, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND WOMEN ARE KEEN HOME PRESERVERS

Women in New Zealand are keen home preservers, by comparison with other countries. For instance, few immigrants know anything about bottling before coming to this country. But an odd thing about home preserving is that many women who are experts at it don't really know how the preserving process works. It's all a matter of destroying the bacteria in food. A combination of heat and vacuum — which is what preserving is all about — makes foodstuffs sterile. And the entry of further bacteria is prevented by the airtight seals. Home preserves will keep for years, not just months. It's not unusual to hear of fruit and vegetables being eaten three years and more after they've been bottled. There are a fewT simple rules which must be observed to bottle foods properly. Use only foods that are in good condition. Over-ripe, bruised or stale foods can result in spoilage. Fruits and tomatoes should be firm but properly ripe. Vegetables should be young and tender and as fresh as possible. Wash all foods thoroughly before preparing them and make certain that your preserving equipment is clean, particularly jars, seals and screw bands. Before starting to bottle, read the recipes carefully and be sure to observe the processing time right to the minute. Always inspect bottled

foods before using them. The jars should show no signs of le^kage, fermentation or spurting of liquid when opened. The smell of preserved food should be characteristic of that particular food. If it is not, and the food is soft or cloudy, discard it. Bottled vegetables, meats and fish should not be tasted till they have been boiled once more for 10 to 15 minutes after the jars have been opened. A simple way is to remove the seal, put the jar in water to within a couple of inches of the top of the jar, bring the water to the boil and keep it boiling for the required time. This, naturally, boils the contents of the jar as well and the food can be served from the jar, thus saving the trouble of cleaning a saucepan which would be the case if the food was cooked in the normal way.