Mold and Your Home Canned Food

Home canned food is a comfort to many of us and it rightly should be. It reminds us of times that have long passed when having a garden and raising your own food was just a part of life. In these days with the many grocery stores and markets that we have available to us, sometimes we forget that growing and canning your own food at home has its benefits. It might take a little effort, but in the end it is usually worth the trouble.

But, the drawback of home canning is the fact that sometimes when we can our own food, they become contaminated with mold due to a number of different factors that we may not realize right off hand. Most of these are completely avoidable and if you are a careful canner, you might not have ever had a moldy jar, but some of us are completely clueless as to how to avoid this contamination.

Whatever you are canning, be it fruits or vegetables, you need to make sure that they are washed thoroughly before you start to get them ready for processing. Starting with fresh and clean ingredients is the first step to un-contaminated food. Cut off any bad spots from these items and throw these pieces away.

Sterilize the equipment that you plan on using in boiling water. Fill the jars you are going to use with hot (not boiling water) and put them in the pot you are going to use. Fill the pot with hot water, as well, and let the water come to a slow boil on the stove. Allow it to boil for about 10 minutes or so. Pour the water from the jars back into the pot, since this water is already sterilized.

After you are done preparing your food and getting it ready to put in the jars, transfer the food to the jars you have sterilized. Do not pack the food too tightly. Allow sufficient room between the food and the top of the jar. Packing food too tightly can result in the food in the center not getting hot enough to kill bacteria and mold spores. Place the lids and the screw bands on them tightly and begin processing them in the pot of hot water. Bring the water to a boil again.

Store in a place away from heat (and sunlight) and allow them to cool naturally.


Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
damage restoration companies and
mold removal companies across the united states.