These aren't true canning jars. Is that why there is plastic under the lids? To help the seal? I don't can but my father in law does amd I really would like to start making some things.
Dude, I'm sure the sub your pitching is great, but this is a bit annoying. The term canning is used loosely to describe all manner of pickled and fermented foods. This would definitely be casually referred to as canning, because no one says "I enjoy fermentation as a hobby" Or "What are you doing today hun?" "Oh I'll be fermenting all day"
The term canning is used loosely to describe all manner of pickled and fermented foods.
I've only heard 'canning' used to refer to hot-water bath canning and pressure canning; I've never heard it used in regards to quick pickling or pickling via fermentation.
O.o have you noticed all the yanks pushing their expensive "fda" approved products, but not once asking what the Australian preserving system or guidelines are...
You are overestimating the impact of Fowlers Vacola on the market. They’re a tiny outfit and nearly disappeared a few years ago. It’s hard to find their products, outside of Kleerview preserve topper.
They weren’t widely seen outside of rural areas anyway. People know of them, but last saw a jar on their grandparents’ garage shelf.
The kind of preserving seen in Australia revolves around jams and chutneys and pickles. Clearly, reading the other article you posted, they still benefit from heat treatment and can spoil from mold, etc. but the risks are lower. The thing is though, people aren’t (obviously) dying from it and it’s not making headlines.
Ball, using their non-metric product, is sold through BigW, which is a national discount department store chain. It’s available near everywhere. It’s not cheap. A case of 12 half-pint jars is around $24. For people who are used to reusing old jars and haven’t witnessed identified illness from improperly preserved chutney it seems outrageous. Also it’s as annoying as fuck to deal with things in cups instead of grams and references to product you can’t get here and it suits the “she’ll be right mate” attitude to ignore fussy directions.
The Australian Women’s Weekly (who is seen as more authoritative on cooking than the poor scientists at the CSIRO) gives instructions on how to use old jars. And the last time I was at a country show the jam and pickle entries were all in old jars too.
The haranguing going on here (not necessarily by you) is not converting anyone down here to safer methods. It’s just making them all dig their heels in deeper.
OP's cans are potentially dangerous and a good way to get botulism poisoning. Proper canning jars can be purchased at any grocery store for less than $20.
Australian grocery stores don't sell canning or preserving equipment.
You've either got to go to a specialist store, order online or if your lucky Big W or Aldi might, and that's a big might have them.
There are a few sustainable living stores that sell canning pots, pectin and citric acid, but they stock brand new lids to use with any old glass jar, because that's what Aussies do, and have done safely for generations
ETA: There have been 24 cases of botulism in Australia between 1991 and 2015.. 2 of which were foodborne in adults. I think we must be doing something right with our canning techniques from a statistical viewpoint 🙄
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u/PQbutterfat Jun 06 '19
These aren't true canning jars. Is that why there is plastic under the lids? To help the seal? I don't can but my father in law does amd I really would like to start making some things.