OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Nancy Urbanec is an avid canner; she works with the extension office teaching food safety.
When using vinegar to can, Urbanec says it’s important to use the right level of acidity, even if it means paying a little more.
Urbanec says vinegar with a 5% acidity level is required, anything less could cause botulism growth.
Ingesting anything with botulism can cause severe illness, and in some cases, it can even be deadly. Dark splotches around the rim of canned food are a clear sign to throw it away.
Certain items should be canned in different ways, for produce with its own acidity, like pickles and salsa, Urbanec recommends a hot water bath.
For meats, or produce that grows in the ground, pressurizing them works best.
Cindy Brison said the temperature gets much higher than 212 degrees which kills botulism risk.
Finally, Urbanec says it’s important to follow recipes when cooking canned produce, making any modifications isn't a good idea.
"That changes the acidity level of it, so that may completely throw off your recipe and make it unsafe."
The Nebraska Extension has a link to some helpful info from the USDA for those interested in canning.
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