566 



Domestic Fruit Bottling. 



[Sept., 



DOMESTIC FRUIT BOTTLING 

 WITH OR WITHOUT SUGAR. 



Fruit which is left exposed to the air will go bad. It may be 

 preserved almost indefinitely if it is properly bottled. The 

 reason why perishable fruits go bad so quickly is that under 

 ordinary conditions the germs of decay present on their surfaces 

 begin to grow, increase in numbers, and set up decomposition 

 in the fruit. These germs may be already present on the fruit 

 when it is put into the bottle, or, unless the bottle containing 

 the preserved fruit is made air-tight, small quantities of air 

 passing into the bottle may carry them in with it. In order 

 to preserve fruit it is necessary : (1) to destroy or stop the growth 

 of any germs already on the fruit, and (2) to seal the jar con- 

 taining the fruit so that further organisms in the air are pre- 

 vented from reaching it. 



These objects are carried out b}^ placing the fruit to be 

 preserved in a suitable jar and then raising the temperature 

 sufficiently to destroy or render inactive any germs present on the 

 fruit. This having been done the jar is sealed so as to prevent 

 germs from entering from the outside. The method of destroy- 

 ing the organisms or rendering them inactive is termed 

 pasteurisation, and usually consists in heating the fruit in water 

 or in syrup, though the fruit may also be heated whilst in a dry 

 state, boiling water or syrup being poured over it afterwards to 

 prevent it from drying during storage. 



Bottling is the most economical method of fruit preservation 

 at the present time when sugar is dear, because : — 

 (a.) The use of sugar is not essential. 

 (b.) The process is simple and inexpensive, 

 (c.) Fruit can be preserved whole for tarts or stewing or 

 in pulp for jam-making at a later period. 



In view of the world shortage of sugar, the bottling of whole 

 fruit cannot be too strongly recommended, because of ill methods 

 of preservation, this requires the least amount of sweetening to 

 render the fruit sufficiently palatable for table use. 



Method with Special Bottles or Jars.— Apparatus required:— 



(a.) Bottles. — Screw top or clip top glass jars are usually 

 obtainable from any ironmonger. The cheapest type 

 of jar has a tin lid, but this is not so good as the 

 others mentioned. Screw top jars are the best, 



