Edible Products. 



416 



I November, 1910.' 



required varies with the fruit to be 

 sterilised, and cannot be stated with 

 absolute exactness. It is largely a 

 matter for experiment. Some fruits and 

 most vegetables require sterilising suc- 

 cessively two or three times to destroy 

 effectively the different germs. 



The temperature should only be 

 allowed to rise quite slowly— not more 

 than two degrees a minute ; otherwise 

 the skin of the fruit is made hard and 

 the inner part not acted upon satisfac- 

 torily or, if skinned, it is likely to burst. 



The hot air or steam by which the 

 bottlrs in the steriliser are now sur- 

 rounded causes the water or juice inside 

 the bottles to get hot and expand, 

 until it reaches the capsule or cover. 

 The requisite temperature is maintained 

 for some time at a given point until 

 the process is complete (this can be 

 determined to a nicety by the fixed 

 thermometer), and the bottles are either 

 lifted out and put into a cool place or 

 else cold water is turned into the 

 machine whilst the bottles are in it (the 

 hot water being gradually reduced in 

 temperature). With the decreasing 

 temperature a vacuum is created, and. 

 unless the caps or tops are imperfect or 

 imperfectly adjusted, and so admit the 

 air, contents of the bottle 

 for a long period, because 

 have been destroyed. On 



hand, if, 

 from any 

 cause, the 

 vacuum is 

 destroyed 

 by imper- 

 fect capp- 

 ing, the 

 bacteria of 

 fermenta- 

 tion will 

 gain admit- 

 tance, and 

 will start 

 working 

 with alarm- 

 ing rapidi- 

 ty. In a few 

 days the 

 fruit will 

 be spoilt. 

 It, there- 

 f o r e, fol- 

 lows that 

 each batch 

 of bottled 

 fruitshould 

 be exami- 

 ned with 

 care for a 

 day or two, 



Gooseberries ...140-150° 



Red Currants ...140-150' 



] 20-? 

 J rit 



Black currants 150-100° 

 Plums 



Apricots 

 Peaches 



Tomatoes 



.170-100° 



will keep 

 the germs 

 the other 



and if any doubt is entertained as to its 

 condition, it is better to re-sterilise 

 without delay. 



The following table of approximate 

 temperatures may be useful. 



Temperature. 



Length of time to main- 

 tain the maximum of 

 temperature. 



30-45 minutes, ac- 

 • cording to de- 

 gree of ripeness. 



-30ms. accord- 

 lg to degree of 

 ripeness. 



Raspberries ...140-150° J- 20 minutes, 



39-45 mis. (these 

 | may be sterilis- 

 J ed a 2nd time). 



...150-160° }>30-45 minutes. 



according to variety. 



...160-180° t-45 minutes. 



...160-170° 1>45 „ . 



30 mins. (sterilise 

 twice). 



As before stated, the temperature can 

 only be given approximately, as the 

 quality of the fruit, the season, and a 



variety o f 

 causes must 

 leave much 

 to the com- 

 mon sense 

 and intelli- 

 gence of the 

 worker. 



The ap- 

 proximate 

 cost of the 

 necessary 

 appliances 

 for this 

 work are as 

 follows: 

 For fuller 

 details, re- 

 ference 

 should be 

 made to 

 "The Book 

 of Fruit 

 Bottling," 

 published 

 by John 

 Lane, price 

 2*. 6d. 



A Useful Form op Steriliser for Fruit-Bottling, 



