The National Center for Home Food Preservation is hosting two food safety webinars in early 2026. Registration will be announced in early 2026.
January 30 | 12-1 PM EST
Dr. Scott Whiteside of Clemson University will discuss botulism and what you need to know to keep your pantry safe.
February 13 | 12-1 PM EST
Andy Hirneisen, MA from Penn State Extension will guide you through freeze-drying.
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If you are interested in freeze drying, here is a workshop opportunity that is being offered by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Processing Center.
From fruits and veggies to full meals, freeze drying makes food shelf-stable, easy to store, and simple to rehydrate. Whether you’re prepping for emergencies, planning your next camping trip, or just curious about food science, this workshop will show you why freeze drying is the ultimate preservation technique.
The hands-on workshop will be held:
Freeze Drying for Fun and Profit
April 11-12, 2026
Food Innovation Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus
Lincoln, NE
The National Center for Home Food Preservation has updated their guide for judging home food preservation exhibits at fairs, festivals or other special competition events.
Judging of exhibits is often included as a way to add excitement and anticipation. In order for these activities to take place in a meaningful way, however, knowledgeable people willing to participate as judges must be identified. Judging should be a recognition of quality work on the part of those who enter exhibits.
Judging requires basic rules and standards from the sponsor, as well as concentration and practice on the part of the judges. The purpose of this guide is to provide best practices when judging home preserved foods as part of a state, county, or local agricultural fair. It is recommended that fair superintendents follow these best practices when organizing their competition. It is essential that the judges be well informed about the activity they are critiquing and that they know the standards required for prize-winning quality. Applying uniform standards is the only way to defend placing decisions, give reasons for award placements, and avoid the pitfalls of personal bias.
The Judging Home Preserved Foods at the Fair guide was updated in October 2025 by a group of Extension professionals as par of the Food Safety Extension Network.
The K-State Extension Rapid Response Center website has a new look!
The website contains information about home food preservation, foods and food preservation judging resources, the You Asked It! newsletter and links to food safety, local foods, nutrition and also the Kansas Value Added Foods Lab.
Due to low website page interaction, the sections on food preparation and nutrition were deleted.
Dehydration of food is one of the oldest forms of food preservation that dates back thousands of years. While technology has advanced over time, the art of sun drying is still relevant in dehydrating foods. The most popular foods that are sun dried include tomatoes, apricots, figs, raisins, dates, and prunes.
Commercial sun drying operations rely on climate. It is necessary to have long amounts of time of hot, sunny weather with very low humidity. The best locations are California’s Central Valley, Middle Eastern deserts, the Mediterranean, and some South American locations. Large amounts of space are needed to spread out the trays of fruit. It is estimated that one acre of space is needed for every 10 acres of harvested fruit.
Sun drying is one of the most sustainable methods of preserving food because it does not require electricity or fossil fuels. This method also preserves the fruit flavor due to the slow drying process. It is also a great way to “upcycle” fruit and reduce food waste.
While sun drying exposes food to the open environment, a sulfer deters pests effectively. Drying yards are also closely monitored for any problems. The practice of sulfuring prevents microbial growth. Some fruits are steam treated, instead of sulfuring, to prevent microbial growth. If a food is treated with sulfur, it will be stated on the label as some consumers are sensitive to sulfites.
Sun drying foods at home is a possibility, but is dependent on the climate. In Kansas, sun drying is difficult due to high humidity.
Source: Food Technology, November 2025
For some home canners, the canning season is coming to a close as the last garden produce is harvested. Here are some tips to store canning equipment so it is in good working order for next season.
Now is a good time to inspect empty jars for any chips or breaks. Remove hard water film by soaking them in a vinegar solution of 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon water. Store jars upside down to keep clean.
Do not save used canning lids to be reused for more canning projects. The sealing compound is already compromised and the lid may be bent after removing it from the jar. Leftover new lids can be saved. The best recommendation is to use new lids within five years.
Inspect screw bands for any damage or rust. Wash them in hot soapy water. Do not wash screw bands in the dishwasher as that increase onset of rust or corrosion. Dry completely before storing. Remove any damaged screw bands to prevent usage in the next canning season. They can be repurposed for many craft projects!
Check food dehydrators for any food residue. Wash trays in hot soapy water and dry completely before placing them in the dehydrator. Refer to the manufacturer usage and care instructions for more information.
Learn more tips on storing equipment at https://extension.psu.edu/storing-canning-supplies. Resources for replacement parts can be found at https://www.rrc.k-state.edu/preservation/index.html.
The calendar says it’s fall and that means cauliflower is in season! This white crunchy vegetable can be preserved to use later in your favorite meals.
Here are some options:
Use frozen cauliflower within 8-12 months for best quality.
There are no recommendations to can cauliflower as a plain vegetable. It would require pressure canning and the end product would not be palatable. It will be mushy, stronger in flavor and likely discolor.
For home food preservation enthusiasts, Presto® has introduced two new appliances for pressure canning and water bath canning. These new appliances have the look and size of their stovetop canners, but incorporates the digital technology of the new stand alone appliances.
These new versions are available in the 16-quart and 23-quart sizes. The canner cover is the same twist-on style of the stovetop canner. There is not a removable inner pan, which allows a little more space for jars. The power cord is not removable. It is about 10 pounds lighter in weight compared to the previous digital canners. The cool down time is similar to the stovetop canners.
As a reminder, when using the pressure canning option, these canners are built to measure the temperature inside the canner for your elevation location. Therefore, you do not set the actual pressure for your elevation, this appliance does this for you. When using the water bath option, processing time must be added to adjust for your elevation.
Always follow the instructions for these appliances. None of these digital canners are for general cooking use. These are for canning purposes only.
So you saved your tomato crop in the freezer. Can those frozen tomatoes be canned? What about tomatoes that froze on the vine?
First, it is not recommended to can tomatoes that froze on the vine. This is because the acid content changes too much, while on the vine, making them unsafe for canning.
But tomatoes harvested prior to a fall freeze, then frozen, do not change in acidity. What does change is their texture and how they measure.
The best choice for canning previously frozen tomatoes is to make a well cooked product such as a stewed or crushed tomato product, or make into tomato juice or sauce.
It is not recommended to can frozen tomatoes whole or quartered. They will pack into the jars differently, absorb moisture differently, and the heat transfers through the jars differently. This could lead to under processing and spoilage. Tomato canning recipes are based on fresh tomatoes.
Source: University of Georgia
Fall is almost here and apples are a favorite treat!
Apples can be preserved by canning, freezing, dehydrating, jams, jellies, fruit butter, and pickling. The best varieties for preserving are crisp, cooking varieities. Some suggested varieties for different types of preserving can be found from the University of Illinois Extension.
It is best to preserve the fruit shortly after harvest. Use apples that are neither too green nor too ripe. Avoid using apples held in cold storage for an extended period of time as the pH level can change.
Learn more about preserving apples in Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe: Apples from K-State Extension. More options are available from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.