Health and Fitness : Preserve Your Garden’s Bounty

Preserving your garden's summer bounty is a great way to enjoy home-grown produce year round- as long as you don't serve foodborne illness, like botulism, with your home preserved foods. "Home food preservation is not difficult, but it does require following specific directions exactly," said Kelsey Salow, Iowa State University, Nutrition and Wellness Specialist. "Ignoring recommended procedures can result in home canned products that will make your family and friends very ill." At Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, we use the National Center for Home Food Preservation recipes and the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.

Before canning season sneaks up on us, now would be an ideal time to check your equipment and supplies. If you have a dial gauge pressure canner, it should be checked annually for accuracy. Call your local ISU Extension and Outreach office to schedule a time to have your dial gauge tested. The rubber gasket should be flexible and should not be cracked, brittle, or sticky. Make sure any pipes and vent ports on the canner lid are clean. Check jars for cracks or chips and replace as needed. New flat lids should be used every year. Rings can be reused but need to be checked for rust or corrosion.

To help Iowans safely preserve foods, ISU Extension and Outreach is hosting a virtual Food Preservation 101 course. During this free, one-hour online course, nutrition and wellness specialists will:

* Discuss various food preservation techniques - pressure canning, hot water bath canning, dehydration and freezing;

* Provide science-based, reliable food preservation resources; and

* Answer general food preservation questions.

The online course will be hosted numerous dates and times between May and September. These are free to Iowans across the state. To register and view ISU Extension publications on preservation, go to https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/preservation-101