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Why Does Home Canned Corn Turn Brown?

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Photo: USDA ARS

If sweet corn browns during canning, it usually means that the temperature required for canning is too high for the sugar levels in the corn variety.  This carmelization has become more of a problem as newer varieties of corn get sweeter and sweeter. You cannot, however, safely reduce the heat or processing time needed for canning corn; you can freeze that corn or find a locally grown variety that is recommended for canning. Though not an immediate safety concern, you might want to consider refrigerating these jars and/or consuming them more quickly since they may not maintain the best quality for long.

Learn more about preserving corn at Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe: Sweet Corn.

Source: https://nchfp.uga.edu/blog/corn-ucopia

Why do Home Canned Green Beans Get Cloudy Liquid?

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Canned green beansPhoto: KSRE
Canned green beans Photo: KSRE

There are several reasons cloudiness can occur.

  1. The beans may be too mature which makes them too starchy.  The starch settles out of the food during canning. This is a quality issue.
  2. Minerals in hard water can give a cloudy appearance. This is a quality issue.
  3. Using table salt instead of canning salt.  Table salt contains anti-caking agents that can cause cloudiness.  This is a quality issue.
  4. Finally, it could be spoilage due to improper heat processing.  Do not consume them in this case. Plain green beans MUST be pressure canned because they are a low acid vegetable. When not processed properly, Clostridium botulinum could cause foodborne illness.

Learn how to safely preserve green beans in Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe: Beans.

Source: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/general-information/causes-and-possible-solutions-for-problems-with-canned-food

 

Shelf Life of Mrs. Wages Mixes

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Mrs. Wages makes several packaged mixes to help make home canning easy and quick. All of their products for canning use the water bath canning method. But do the mixes have a shelf life?

Mrs. Wages recommendation:

“On the side of every Mrs. Wages® pouch is an 8 digit code that you can use to determine when the product was produced, and you will find it stamped into packet, for example B2181A23. The B identifies the facility that produced the mix. The number, which follows, represents the last digit of the year the mix was produced, e.g., a 2 would indicate 2012. The next three numbers indicate which day out of 365 days in the year, the mix was produced. So if the number is 181, it means the product was mixed on June 29th as this is the 181st day of the year. The final 3 digits are used by Kent Precision Foods to indicate the batch code. For optimal performance, we recommend using Mrs. Wages® Pickle, Tomato, Fruit mixes and Fruit Pectins within 24 months of the day and year, it was produced.”

Source: https://www.mrswages.com/canning/frequently-asked-questions/

Kansas Wheat Expo

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Wheat ExpoThe wheat expo will be a fun, educational and hands-on program for all Kansas 4-H members, siblings, parents, grandparents, and KSRE Extension staff.  You do not have to be enrolled in crops/plant science projects to participate.  4-H members enrolled in Food and Nutrition, Photography and Field Crops are encouraged to participate.

The Kansas 4-H State Wheat Expo is a wheat fun day showcasing all things wheat.  Lunch and refreshments are sponsored, and tours will be available.

When: August 12, 2024

Where: Manhattan, KS

Registration

Kansas Ag Growth Summit

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Mark your calendar for the ninth annual Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the K-State Alumni Center.

This event is FREE, although we request that you register online. In order to guarantee a meal, please register by Friday, August 9, 2024. After that date walk-ins will be accepted as space allows.

REGISTER HERE

The Summit involves Kansas farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses working together in a collaborative setting to discuss growing the agriculture industry in Kansas. We welcome producers, business owners, ag educators, community leaders, and representatives of ag organizations from across the state to join us to talk about how we can work together to expand opportunities for Kansas agriculture.

Kansas Local Food Summit

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Local Food Summit

Join us for this unique opportunity to CONNECT with people from across the state, ENGAGE with new ideas about local food systems, and GROW the opportunities for your community!

What to Expect

The Kansas Local Food Summit will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 27-28, 2024 in Wichita. The Summit will begin with a networking reception on Tuesday evening, followed by a full day of speakers, interactive learning sessions, and more opportunities to connect with people from across the state.

Who Should Attend

Anyone working in local food systems or interested in supporting local food system growth is welcome to attend, including producers, consumers, food policy council members, government employees, non-profit organizations, food businesses, and more! If you are looking for opportunities to learn how to bolster your local food systems and connect with like-minded Kansans, the Kansas Local Food Summit is a great choice. We have sessions planned that are relevant to a wide range of different food systems interests, including food access, food waste & recovery, food hubs, community engagement, food policy, farm to school, and more.

Keynote Information:

Morning Keynote: Leveraging Value Chain Coordination to Build a Better Food System – John Wittler, Executive Director, Ogallala Commons

Afternoon Keynote: Creating Food Secure Resilient Communities – Mary K. Hendrickson, PhD., Associate Professor of Applied Social Sciences, Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security

Registration

Early Bird Registration Fee: $40 through August 5th

Regular Registration Fee: $50 after August 5th

Celebrate Summer with a Picnic!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

 

harvest meal
Photo: Kansas Wheat

It’s that time of year for harvest, family reunions, July 4th parties, camping and more! Don’t invite foodborne illness to your party! Here are some tips for a perfect picnic:

  • Plan ahead to bring essential items such as a food thermometer, cooler chest with ice, plenty of clean utensils, storage containers for leftovers, paper towels, and trash bags.
  • In preparation for your picnic, don’t thaw meat on the counter overnight—that’s not safe.  Thaw food in the refrigerator or cook from the frozen state.  Don’t partially cook meat and poultry ahead of time.
  • When you arrive at the picnic site, the first task is to wash your hands before preparing food.  If running water is not available, use disposable wet wipes or hand sanitizer to clean your hands before and after touching food.
  • Don’t leave foods out in the sun.   At the picnic, keep the cooler in the shade.  Serve food quickly from the cooler and return it fast.  In hot weather, above 90F, food shouldn’t sit out of the cooler over an hour.

Learn more at www.ksre.k-state.edu/foodsafety/topics/outdoor.html

 

Feeding Your Future Summer Camp 2024

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

High school students, grades 10-12, can come gain experience in growing, harvesting and milling grains into ingredients used to produce baked goods as well as animal and pet food. Industry partners will share job opportunities, career paths and income potential alongside K-State faculty and students. You’ll tour K-State’s feed and flour mills, bake labs and agronomy research farms, network with peers, and gain an appreciation for food and feed production.

The camp lasts 4 nights and cost includes lodging in K-State residence halls, meals and a Saturday brunch for up to two guests or family members, $15 for each additional guest.

  • Cost: $75 deposit per participant.
  • Camp Dates: July 16 – 20, 2024 at the K-State Manhattan Campus
  • Number of spots: 30

Register for this camp now!

Canning on Portable Burners

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Portable, or stand alone, burners might be a good option for those who have a smooth cooktop and the stove manufacturer states that canning should not be done because of the high heat, heavy canner weight, and possibility of cracking the stove top.

There are many options for portable burners, but not all of them are appropriate for home canning equipment. Check the burner manufacturer’s specifications and directions to make sure the burner can withstand canning. Some basic guidelines include:

  • The burner must be level, sturdy, and secure enough to hold large canners filled with water and jars of food.
  • The canner diameter should not extend more than 2 inches from the burner.
  • For electric burners, the wattage should be comparable to a typical large household range burner. Most household range burners are at least 1,750 watts or more.
  • The burner housing should hold up to high heat for long periods of time, without damaging countertops.
  • At least one pressure canner manufacturer does not recommend using an outdoor heat source, such as a turkey fryer burner.
  • Burners that produce more than 12,000 BTUs can damage your canner.
  • Always follow manufacturer directions.

Learn more at https://nchfp.uga.edu/newsflash.

June is National Dairy Month

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Pasteurized milk
Milk pasteurization
Photo: USDA Flickr

On a hot day, a cold glass of milk or scoop of ice cream can be a refreshing treat! So raise a glass or scoop and celebrate National Dairy Month and thank a dairy farmer for all they do!

Dairy products provide a nutritional boost with vitamins A and D, calcium, protein and more. Yogurt can improve digestion and improve your immune system. Protein can give you energy, and the simple nutrition dairy provides can be good for your body and mind.

Looking for ideas to incorporate dairy into your daily menus? The Midwest Dairy program has many recipe ideas to delight your tastebuds.

While ice cream is already frozen, many other dairy products can also be frozen. But some will have reduced quality such as cream cheese and cottage cheese. Learn more about freezing dairy products from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

There are no canning recommendations to can any kind of dairy product.

Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University