Jars do not need to be sterilized before canning if they will be filled with food and processed in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes or more or if they will be processed in a pressure canner. Jars that will be processed in a boiling water bath canner for less than 10 minutes, once filled, need to be sterilized first by boiling them in hot water for 10 minutes before they're filled.

least one canning jar manufacturer is selling half-gallon canning jars. That manufacturer has a printed note on the top that says half-gallon jars are only used for some highly acidic foods in a boiling water canner, with instructions to call a toll-free number for the instructions. When we last called, the only choices are grape juice and apple juice, as we also recommend. See similar questions...

Any fat that gets on the rim of the canning jar can prevent an airtight seal. Excess fat in jars makes it easier for the fat to climb the sides of the jar and contaminate the seal. See similar questions...

No you do not need to perform any sterlization procedures on any of the substrate jars or grow bags we sell on the website, they are pre-sterlized and ready for injection. See similar questions...

It is a good idea to sterilize your containers before using, but practically speaking this isn't easy to do if you are using plastics, and all glass isn't heat resistant and will crack if water that is too hot is used on them. If your containers are washed in hot soapy water and rinsed very well with hot water, this should be sufficient. See similar questions...

Glass home canning jars, sometimes referred to as Mason jars, are designed for durability and reuse. They are the only jars recommended for safe home canning. Constructed of heat-tempered glass, they are able to withstand the superheated steam of the pressure canner, time after time. These special jars feature a deep neck and wide sealing surface that is essential for obtaining a tight seal. They are available in standard sizes to ensure proper processing times as specified in recipes. See similar questions...

ANSWER: First of all, dip whole tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Then dip in cold water, slip off skins and remove cores. For pints, add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Double these amounts for quart jars. Leave at least ½ inch headspace in each jar -- too little head space could cause boiling out of liquid -- and process for 85 minutes. See similar questions...

Our sterilization methods meet or exceed the standards set by the Center for Disease Control. All instruments are washed, scrubbed, placed in an ultrasonic disinfectant solution, then placed in the sterilizer at high temperatures. See similar questions...

In open kettle canning, food is cooked in an ordinary kettle, then packed into hot jars and sealed without processing. The temperatures obtained in open kettle canning are not high enough to destroy all spoilage and food poisoning organisms that may be in the food. Also, microorganisms can enter the food when it is transferred from the kettle to jar and cause spoilage. See similar questions...

Yes. In all three types, water can be brought to a boil. A little-known fact, however, is that to make water safe to drink, it only has to be pasteurized, not sterilized. Pasteurization takes place at 65? C (150? F) in only 20 minutes. This treatment kills all human disease pathogens, but doesn't waste the energy needed to bring the water to a boil. See similar questions...

One of the most important parts of bottle feeding is sterilization. Before the initial use, all parts of the bottle, including the bottle, nipple, cap, and nipple ring, should be sterilized. There are different ways to do this. The most popular way to sterilize bottles is to bring a pot of water to a boil and drop all of the pieces in, leaving them to boil for about ten minutes. There are also special sterilizing units, which can be used in the microwave or to steam clean bottles. See similar questions...

A 5% to 10% solution (one tablespoon of bleach to one cup of water) can also be to disinfect potentially contaminated hard surfaces and clean off blood. A 1% solution (one tablespoon of bleach to one quart of water) can be used for general cleaning. As with most chemical cleaning agents, discard it after 24 hours as that's its effective lifetime. It is important to take this step because in an uncontrolled environment things will sink to the lowest common denominator. See similar questions...

Dental instruments are cleaned and sterilized at very high temperatures after each time they are used on a patient. Recommended sterilization methods include: an autoclave (steam under pressure), a dry heat oven, or chemical vapor (commonly called a chemiclave). The sterilization equipment usually is not in the treatment room, but if you'd like to see how and where it's done, ask the dental staff to show you. See similar questions...

Yes, Gamma Irradiation or Ethylene Oxide Gas sterilization is recommended. Again, information on sources for sterilization is available through Technical Service. Sterilization via autoclaving or steam sterilization is not possible. See similar questions...

Breakage can occur for several reasons: 1. Using commercial food jars rather than jars manufactured for home canning, 2. Using jars that have hairline cracks, 3. Putting jars directly on bottom of canner instead of on a rack, 4. Putting hot food in cold jars, or 5. Putting jars of raw or unheated food directly into boiling water in the canner, rather than into hot water (sudden change in temperature-too wide a margin between temperature of filled jars and water in canner before processing). See similar questions...

For best quality, yes. However, some vegetables can be packed raw or cold into jars before being processed in the pressure canner. See similar questions...

Yes, but for fruits only! Do not can vegetables or meat in a solar box cooker, since these foods need to be canned under pressure! You'll find information on canning here. See similar questions...

Recommendations for canning summer squashes, including zucchini, that appeared in former editions of So Easy to Preserve have been withdrawn due to uncertainty about the determination of processing times. Squashes are low-acid vegetables and require pressure canning for a known period of time that will destroy the bacteria that cause botulism. Documentation for the previous processing times cannot be found, and reports that are available do not support the old process. See similar questions...