THE DIETETIC VALUE OF FRUIT 1409 



So much has been published about home preservation of fruits 

 that it seems out of place to do more than briefly review the dif- 

 ferent processes in use, and the advantages and disadvantages of 

 each. Whatever process is used, there is no " trade secret " about 

 successful canning. It is a mere matter of making things clean - 

 not ordinary everyday clean, but surgically or biologically clean. 

 It depends on selecting sound fruit or removing every unsound 

 spot; it depends on the complete destruction by heat of micro- 

 organisms juxl their seeds (spores) on and in fruit and jars; and 

 it depends on complete protection against the entrance of micro- 

 scopic destroyers from outside the jar, after all has been made 

 safe within it. 



For home purposes, glass jars are in every way to be preferred 

 to tin cans. They cost more to start with, but may be used over 

 and over again with only the addition of new rubbers. 



THE COLD PACK METHOD 



What is known a"s the cold pack method of canning is being 

 more and more widely used. By this method jars are filled with 

 uncooked fruit, jmd jars and fruit are sterilized in one operation. 

 The successive steps of the method arc ;is follows: 



1. Selection of sound, slightly underripe fruifc 



2. HltiiH'liing by lowering the fruit, which has been placed in 

 a wire basket or cheesecloth, into boiling water and allowing it 

 to boil for five minutes. This loosens the skin, removes objection- 

 able acids, starts the iiow of coloring matter, and reduces bulk. 



2-b. Scalding that is, pouring boiling water over the fruit 

 and leaving it just long enough to loosen the skin may be sub- 

 stituted when blanching is not necessary. 



:'>. I'linif/ing in cold ivater to make the fruit easier to handle, 

 to separate the skin, to set the color, and to make the pulp firmer. 



4. Removing tJie skins. 



5. Placing the fruit in a solution of salt and water (1 table- 

 spoon to a quart of water) to prevent discoloration while jars are 

 being prepared. 



6. Preparing jars by examining them for defects. Test them 

 for leakage, wash, rinse, and turn upside down to drain without 

 wiping. 



