Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600941
10/13/97

### ENSURING HIGH-QUALITY CANNED FOODS

        Begin  with  good-quality  fresh  foods  suitable   for

    canning.
      Quality  varies  among varieties  of  fruits  and

    vegetables.
      Many  county Extension offices  can  recommend

    varieties
     best suited for canning.  Examine food  carefully

    for
    freshness and wholesomeness.  Discard diseased and moldy

    food.
     Trim small diseased lesions or spots from food.

        Can  fruits and vegetables picked from your  garden  or

    purchased
     from  nearby producers when the products  are  at

    their
     peak of quality--within 6 to 12 hours  after  harvest

    for
      most   vegetables.   For   best   quality,   apricots,

    nectarines,
    peaches, pears  and plums should be ripened  one

    or
    more days between harvest and canning.  If you must delay

    the
    canning of other fresh produce, keep it in a shady, cool

    place.

        Fresh home-slaughtered red meats and poultry should  be

    chilled
     and  canned without delay.  Do not  can  meat  from

    sickly
     or  diseased animals.  Ice fish and  seafoods  after

    harvest,
    eviscerate immediately, and can them within 2 days.

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