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Food Storage & Preservation 101 Learning How to Utilize Food Storage Methods Wisely

1 This ebook was brought to you by PrepperZine.com


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Preface Whether you are out hunting fresh meat or you just happened to have a good harvest

from your vegetable garden, you will want to store your extra food properly. Improper

storage methods can put all that lovely produce to risk, allowing it to rot as usual.

Are you tired of wasting perfectly good produce?

Do you want to learn about proper food storage and preservation?

With the help of this eBook, you can discover:

● Food items perfect for storage purposes.

● Different storage methods.

● What equipment you will need to apply a certain storage method.

● Things to look out for.

However, storage of food can be tricky and applying the proper methods for its

preservation can also play a huge role in the shelf-life of that food item.

We try to take a practical approach whenever possible – you are far more likely to take

action that way.

If you are tired of wasting good produce, you can find out the ins and outs of food storage

and preservation through this eBook and more!



Contents

Introduction

Why Does Food Go Bad?

Bacteria aka Micro-organisms

Enzymes

Air

Exposure to Light

Temperature

Time Period

Pests (Insects, Rodents)

Basics of Food Storage

Three Basic Food Groups

Perishable

Semi-Perishable

Non-Perishable or Staple Food items

How Long Can Things Last In Storage?

Homemade vs. Store Bought

Identifying Good Storage Items



Freshness

Temperature

Storage Container or Packaging

Common Mistakes of an Average Hoarder

Storing Food Items in the Cupboard

Storing Food Items in the Fridge

Different Modes of Storage

Dehydrating

Tools and Equipment - What Will You Need?

A Heat Source

The Body

Vents

Racks

Which Food Items Should You Dehydrate?

Temperature

Preparation of the Food for Dehydration Purposes

Things to Keep in Mind

Canning


Heat Resistant Containers



Two-Piece Lids

Canning Rack

Large Pans or Pressure Canners

Tongs

Which Food Items Should You Can?

Preparing Food for Canning Purposes

Things to Keep In Mind

Acidic and Alkaline

Pressure and Temperature

Cold Packing or Hot Packing

Freeze Dried


Dryer

Freezer

Storage

Which Food Items Should You Choose to Freeze-Dry?


Water Content of Any Item

Practice Makes One Perfect

Common Mistakes Made In Storage Methods



Dehydration

Preparing the Food Wrong

Starting With Complicated Items First

Fiddling with the Temperature

Storing Food Poorly

Canning


Packing the Food All Wrong

Not Applying Enough Pressure

Forgetting to Sterilize the Canning Jars or Bottles and Covers

Storing Food Poorly

Freeze Dried

Not Thinking of Timelines

Water Content

Vacuum Sealed Storage

Conclusion



Introduction

Food storage is an important part of our lives. Gone are the days when man used to be

forced to only hunt or cook enough to finish in one sitting.

However, with the passage of time, new food

preservation and storage methods have popped up.

Plus, there are plenty of classic and traditional ways

to prolong the shelf life of foods.

These have allowed us to store food in better ways,

while allowing that particular food item to retain its

freshness but there are some pitfalls to look out for.

Food preservation and storage have largely been

means to help perishable items have extended shelf

lives. Preventing food from rotting means you can

eat it later on, even if that later on comes after a

week or so.

How many times have you opened the fridge door to see something rotting, even if you

kept it in the fridge? It can get quite frustrating and annoying when that happens.

Why Does Food Go Bad?

We all know the answer at a high level. But taking a few minutes to really understand

what’s happening can provide some insight that can make food last longer for you and

your family.



One of the main reasons why food items go bad is not because of an accident but because

they naturally start to deteriorate and decompose. This is a natural process so there is not

much you can do to truly eliminate it. It happens largely because of various factors. It may

be possible that unwittingly, you are exposing your food to the following:

Bacteria aka Micro-organisms

Micro-organisms are present everywhere and it can be rather hard to eliminate them

completely. However, certain measures can be taken to ensure there are none on the

food you eat. Simply cooking can kill those micro-organisms.

However, once you have prepared a meal, if you leave your food lying around, it will get

bacteria in it again. This can be because of airborne bacteria or dirty hands and utensils.

Often, some of them can even survive in the fridge because it is not set at the perfect

temperature to kill them off. Even if it is the right temperature though, some bacteria will

slow down but continue to grow and cause decomposition in the food. Eventually, it will

begin to go bad and spoil.

Presence of bacteria in food does not always mean it is bad. Pathogenic bacteria are

responsible for causing diseases through food but they do not always start to decompose

the food. Bacteria which spoil food will cause the

food to decompose and emit a bad smell.

Enzymes

Many foods contain natural enzymes which can

start to decompose those fruits. These enzymes

are largely responsible for ensuring the fruit or

vegetable ripens to maturity.

For example: Bananas are green and hard before

they turn yellow and the texture of the fruit

becomes tastier and softer. The enzymes in the banana are responsible for this.



Unfortunately, these same enzymes will ensure that the process continues, even after the

fruit has been plucked. These enzymes are largely responsible for causing apples, bananas

and other fruit to go soft, develop brown spots and decompose completely.

Air

You may not have noticed this but leaving food outside can cause a reaction, namely

oxidization with the air. Certain molecules in oxygen are reactive with the enzymes in the

food item. This is one of the main reasons why certain fruits, vegetables and meats will

change color if they are left outside.

While this may be a natural process, oxidization only helps to quicken the decomposing

process of those food items so it is necessary to take measures to ensure this doesn’t

happen. Covering up the food will not always work and at times, you may have to think

about getting vapor proof packaging to reduce oxidation.

My household bought a vacuum sealer which was a game changer. Keeping food air tight

will make it last amazingly longer.

Exposure to Light

Sunlight may not seem strong but it can wreak

havoc on a molecular level. Whether you are

exposing your skin or a food item, strong sunlight

can begin to seep the vitamins and nutrients out of

it and break down the molecular structure of the

proteins and other vital nutrients.

Direct sunlight can often raise the temperature of food items, making them perfect

breeding grounds for bacteria which were otherwise lying dormant. In a dormant state,

bacteria are not harmful. However, when they are activated, they can spread illnesses,

cause the food to go bad and start producing more bacteria as well.



Temperature

The temperature of the food can play a huge role in its storage and decomposition. High

temperatures are more likely to cause food to go bad as compared to low temperatures.

Even if you are storing something in the cupboard, your fridge or the freezer, they all

need to be set at certain different temperatures to work effectively.

At room temperature, bacteria thrive well and can multiply easily. By storing food at low

temperatures, you can slow down the oxidation, enzymatic and bacterial growth

processes. However, you will have to check to be sure what temperatures your cupboard,

fridge and freezer are at currently.

Ideally, the temperature in your cupboard should be at 50o to 70oF, the temperature in

your fridge should be at 34o to 40oF and the temperature in your freezer should be 0oF or

even lower than that.

Time Period

Storing perishable food items is only possible for a short time period, even if it is 6 months

or so. Many food items can stay good for years or more but the foods must be

strategically selected.

It can be disconcerting if you have kept a food item in storage for 6 months since some

bacteria may often grow in the food without ruining its appearance.

The best thing you can do is identify what kind of food you actually have. Certain food

items go bad faster than others.

Even with different storage methods, they will have a shorter shelf-life as compared to

food items which are hardy and more durable.



Pests (Insects, Rodents)

Food attracts all sorts of pests and rodents and you if you don’t store your food properly,

you may find a hoard of ants, cockroaches or even

mice having nibbled on and ruined your food item.

Take proper measures to ensure all food items are

stored in a proper manner and are inaccessible to

any curious rodents. Even if these pests have not

damaged the food items, they will have

contaminated them with their bacteria and it can be

a huge health issue to consume those food items.



Basics of Food Storage Now that you know what makes your food go bad, you can turn your focus on how you

can store your food to make it last longer. Storage is actuality is not difficult. In fact, it is

so simple that people over complicate it.

Nonetheless, if you take the time to go over the basics, you can store your food properly

and avoid making the same mistakes that other people are making.

Three Basic Food Groups

To successfully start storing food, you need to identify what kind of food items you

actually have in your fridge and your pantry.

Of course this does not mean you make a list which states you have: ‘16 vegetables and 4

meat items’.

Since the common food groups are fruit, vegetable, meat, grains, etc, it is an

understandable mistake. However, when you are thinking of storing these food items, you

have to classify your food in broader terms.

All food items fall under the following three food groups:

Perishable

Perishable food items includes fresh, raw

fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy and

other items which need to be stored in a

refrigerator or in the freezer. The food items

are usually raw or cooked in the simplest

form.

Even when they are refrigerated, perishable

food items need to be consumed within a week or so. The biggest factor about perishable



food items is their short shelf lives and they need proper storage methods more than

other food items.

Semi-Perishable

Semi-perishable food items also include some fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy and other

items but they have longer shelf lives. They are usually cooked or cured in a manner

which also helps to extend their shelf lives and stops the decomposition process from

occurring at its normal rate.

If they are kept well, semi-perishable food items can last for extremely long periods of

time, ranging from 6 months to a year. Items like dried fruit, grain, flour, dry mixes and

other similar food items can be considered semi-perishable too.

Non-Perishable or Staple Food items

Staple or non-perishable food items are not likely to spoil anytime soon. Generally, they

keep well for years even if they are stored in an improper manner. Exposure to sunlight

can quicken the decomposition process but they can still last longer than perishable or

semi-perishable goods.

However, these food items do start to lose their quality over a certain period of time.

Even if stored in optimum conditions, these food items can lose their quality and potency.

Food staples like sugar, salt, spices and other canned goods are non-perishable food

items. They can be easily stocked up and stored for long periods of time.

How Long Can Things Last In Storage?

Now that you have identified your food items and divided them into groups, you can try

to understand how long food items actually take to decompose in storage. Moreover, this

will also give you a definite idea of how food will fare.



While the three groups mentioned above can have an impact on the storage life of your

food items, there are also two different factors which can also play a role in ensuring your

food lasts longer in storage.

Homemade vs. Store Bought

Many people contend that homemade food items not only taste better but also have

longer shelf lives. Since you have complete control over the food item if it is homemade,

you can influence the storage life of the

product. However, certain food items like

yogurt can have the same shelf life even if it is

made at home.

While there is not much data which supports

this theory, it does make some sense that

homemade food items makes it possible for

one to have more control over the ingredients

being used.

The fresher the ingredients are, the better the

food will taste and last longer too. On the other

hand, shop bought items can often last better

in storage.

However, store bought perishable items

usually have chemicals (some good, some bad)

injected in order to make them last longer.

Vegetables and fruits in particular may have

this quality.



Meat, canned food items and all can last longer too but then again, you have to ensure

you also deploy the proper storage methods at home. In short, your food items probably

can last in storage for a month or more but you have to help them along too.

Identifying Good Storage Items

Now when you have to start preparing or setting food aside for storage purposes, take

some time to identify if that food item is good for storage or not. The most basic thing you

have to do is find out which group the food item belongs to: Perishable, Semi-Perishable

or Non-Perishable.

Once you have done this, you will be able to greatly sort out which items are best for

storage and which ones are not. The storage life of a food item is also affected by certain

other factors too. When you are looking to identify good storage items, make sure you

take the following into consideration before you go ahead with your storage plan:

Freshness

Take the time to ask your grocer about how fresh the item was when it reached the

grocery store. If it took a week for the fruits and vegetables to reach the store, it is likely

the fruits and vegetables will not keep for long with you. Unless they are in dried form or

in the form of preserves, fruits and vegetables are perishable goods which can begin to

lose their freshness within a week. The fresher it comes to the grocery, the longer it will

last and the better it will taste.

Temperature

The temperature of the storage can play a huge role in eliminating bacteria. High

temperatures allow bacteria to grow and thrive well, leading to food decomposing at a

higher rate. Food stored at lower temperatures lasts longer since bacteria cannot flourish

well in it. As mentioned earlier, the temperature can affect the storage and

decomposition rate of any food items.



Storing at room temperature is not always a good idea since bacteria can actually thrive

and multiply more easily at this temperature. The proper temperature can successfully

slow down bacterial growth, oxidation and even enzymatic decomposition of a food item.

Storage Container or Packaging

The actual condition of the storage container or package can play a huge role in

determining how well a food item stays in storage. Storing something in a can will mean it

lasts longer. Vapor-proof wraps can keep moisture out of the food items and also help

prevent decomposition because of exposure to sunlight.

You should also ensure that any packaging you are using is not damaged or compromised

in any manner. A damaged can will make the food decompose within a matter of weeks

instead of keeping the food good for months or even years. A wrap which lets moisture in

can allow food to decompose and spoil.

To save yourself from unpleasant surprises, give all your food containers a thorough look

once and check them again once or twice a week to ensure they are not damaged in any

way.

Common Mistakes of an Average Hoarder

So, you finally identified your food items but you are still having no luck in keeping your

food fresh and good? Well, then you may have been making some mistakes without

exactly realizing what is going wrong.

Keep in mind, there are some pitfalls and mistakes that everyone makes if they aren’t

careful enough and the following are a few common ones any average hoarder makes at

home:



Storing Food Items in the Cupboard

Storing food items in the cupboard is no big deal but there are certain things which can

have an impact on how long food lasts there. Moreover, these fine points are not that

hard to implement or follow.

If you pay attention to the following, you will find, your food lasts longer in your

cupboard:

● Always choose cupboards that are located in a dry and dark corner, are clean and

completely free of pests.

● You can check the temperature in the cupboard using a thermometer. Ideally, the

temperature of a cupboard should be anywhere from 50 to 70oF. If the

temperature is 100oF, the cupboard will be a breeding ground for bacteria.

● Follow a rotation system in order to ensure you don’t end up hoarding food items

for an unnecessarily long time period. Every time you go to the grocery store, to

purchase food items, make sure you either use them first or shove to the back of

the cupboard to eat later. Follow a first in, first out rotation cycle which ensures

you eat all of what you bought earlier before moving on. This minimizes

unnecessary storage and hoarding issues.

● Check your cans and packages for damage frequently in order to ensure your food

items do not start to rot because of it. Certain cans and packages can also give

signs which showcase that the food item has gone bad. Look for bulging cans or

lids that are domed. Any kind of discoloration is a bad sign, too. Throw them away

and avoid using any food items with damaged packaging.

Storing Food Items in the Fridge

Even storing food items in the fridge can make you stumble if you aren’t too sure about

what to do. While it can seem extremely simplistic in essence, there are still some things

you have to keep in mind when you are storing food in fridge. The following are the most

common mistakes people make:



● Do not leave your food for months on end inside the fridge. While the lower

temperature keeps the bacteria in a dormant state, it does not kill them off

completely. While growth does slow down in this dormant state, it does not go

entirely away and perishable food items can still suffer from spoilage.

● The ideal temperature for your fridge needs to be between 34oF and 40oF. You can

easily check the current temperature of your fridge with the help of a refrigerator

thermometer. These are usually located inside the fridge. If the temperature is

above or below this reading, adjust it to ensure your food is preserved in a proper

manner.

● When placing food inside the fridge, always use airtight containers, plastic wraps

foils or bags in order to store food properly. Open containers can cause the food to

dry out, promote growth of mold or lead to refrigerator odor.

● Be sure to check your airtight containers for any moisture. Moisture in these

containers can lead to growth of mold and bacteria and food may decompose

much faster.

● Stack your food properly in the fridge, since it can mess with internal air circulation

of the fridge. Avoid packing food items too tightly and do not cover the shelves

with any foil or wrap.

● Milk, leftovers, and meat items should be stored in the coldest area of the fridge

and should be consumed quickly too. Since they are more perishable, they can

decompose more easily. The coldest place in your fridge will be the freezer

compartment.

Apart from these tips, one of the biggest factors which affect the storage life of these

food items is time. Not all items last forever, even in the most optimal condition. The best

thing you can do is label the food items with the dates you purchased them on.

Do not keep anything in storage for more than 3 weeks. With a date label on them, you

can easily keep track of the dates and avoid consuming anything which has been sitting

around for over a month.



Some items like pickles can be kept for longer but once again pay careful attention to the

date of expiry on the package and the date you bought it on. Some stores also sell

products that are closer to their date of expiry at discounted prices, so they will not have

to throw out rotten produce.

While it can be beneficial for the store, it is not beneficial for you since unless you mean

to consume the food item immediately, it is likely to go bad pretty soon. Most people

often make the mistake of only looking at the reduced price and buying in bulk, only to

have that food going bad and having to throw it all away.



Different Modes of Storage The tips mentioned above deal with storage of food in the most basic terms. You buy

something, you put it in the fridge, cupboard or freezer and you are done. However, those

are not the only means of food storage.

Over time, people have developed many means of storage which not only allow a

particular food item to last well but also retain its original nutritional value. Some modes

of storage are largely used by companies that mass produce food items. They need to

ensure their produce will not go bad as soon as it hits the shelves of the grocery store.

The following are among the commonest ways food is stored and preserved in a healthy

manner:

Dehydrating

Drying or dehydrating foods is one of the easiest

and best ways to preserve it. The process involves

removal of almost all moisture, decreasing the

chances of any microbes thriving or active enzymes

breaking down the food. While exposure to heat

can break down the nutritional value of a food item,

dehydration is still the best method.

Dehydration is the best way to store food items for

the long-term and if dehydrated properly, you don’t

even have to worry about refrigerating it. Even a

simple air-tight jar can work out fine for storing

dehydrated food items.



While dehydration does make a food item lose its nutritional value, it does not depreciate

it as much as other food preservation methods. Moreover, dehydrated food items,

particularly fruits can be eaten as is, in their dried state.

Rehydrating the item is also pretty easy requiring you to soak it in a bowl of water for a

few hours to re-hydrate or reactivate it. However, this is not always a good idea since

some food items will lose more nutritional value in this manner.

Note: Be sure to check the rehydration instructions on prepackaged items. Sometimes

they advise using hot water for a short period of time.

Luckily, dehydration is among the easier storage methods you can even apply yourself.

You can easily dehydrate fruits and vegetables at home to make nutritious food storage

snacks for you and your whole family.


The simplest and easiest way to go about it is to get a dehydration box. These are usually

made from wood, with mesh screen drying trays, and air circulation system as well as a

heating system.

Buying ready-made dehydrating boxes can be a bit expensive but you can easily improvise

and create one on your own. For this purpose, you will need a few supplies. There are

certain basics you have to keep in mind and fulfill

in order to make a food dehydrator that works

effectively.

A Heat Source

A dehydrator works by drying out a food item and

removing all moisture from it. Heat lamps, electric

coils and even a 100-watt bulb can work as a heat

source as long as it can provide a steady temperature for long periods of time.



Sometimes people opt to use fans to regulate air control which can speed up the

dehydrating process. You should also try to get a regulator or a thermostat so you know

the current temperature in the box and can adjust it accordingly if required.

The Body

The body of the dehydrator can also play a role in making it effective. Usually, people

prefer to use wooden boxes as they retain heat better and lose less heat through the

walls than more conductive materials like metal. Even a box made from plywood can be

good enough.

The heat source, like lamps or bulbs, will have to be placed at the bottom of the box.

Make sure you have a door as well which can be closed or locked easily. You will have to

leave room for hinges too so you can open and close the box.

Vents

You will also need to make room for vents at the top and bottom of the dehydrator in

order to allow hot air to escape and cool air to keep coming in. The more airflow the

better!

Avoid using insulation on the walls of the box. You might think this would keep more heat

in but it also retains the moisture escaping the food items and will increase the risk of

mold.

Racks

When making the walls for the dehydrator, remember to make room for racks. These will

be screen mesh racks that can be removed, cleaned, replaced and taken out easily so you

will need to make wedges or small shelves for them. These are similar to oven wire racks

or you can make small wooden frames to match the size of the box and have mesh wire

stretched and stapled across them.

All food items will be placed on these racks to dry. Remember to keep your racks spaced

at a distance from each other in order to allow the warm air to pass through them easily.



This will allow for effective and even dehydration. You can get a carpenter to help you or

if you are good with a workbench, you can get all these items and make your own!

Which Food Items Should You Dehydrate?

When you have built your dehydrator, the next step will be to start drying out some food

items in it. However, if you aren’t sure, you might make a few blunders along the way. So,

to save yourself from some unsavory messes, pay close attention to the following:

Temperature

The temperature in the dehydrator plays a large role in the dehydration process. You

want to ensure the temperature is high enough to get all the moisture out of the food yet

is not hot enough to cook or burn the food or harm the nutritional value of the food item.

While you might think all you have to do is crank up the heat and let the box do the rest,

you have to pay attention to the temperature. Every food item has its own dehydration

temperature and you have to adjust it accordingly.

For many food items, you can divide them into basic food groups and adjust the

temperature to suit that. The most common dehydrator temperatures for these food

groups are given below:

● Fruit & Vegetables: 130°-140° F

● Poultry, Meats, and Fishes: 145° F or higher

● Herbs & Spices: 95°-110° F

Preparation of the Food for Dehydration Purposes

Once you have the temperatures figured out, don’t just pop the food items into the

dehydrator and shut the door. You will have to help the food out a little to ensure it

dehydrates properly.

For this purpose, you have to blanch any food item in some boiling water for a minute or

two before you pop it into the dehydrator. This will help kill any existing bacteria and



neutralize any enzymes which may cause the food to start decomposing inside the

dehydrator.

Only corn, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions can be added to the dehydrator as is. Even

then, you will have to chop up the food items into thin, even slices.

The thinner you cut them, the better they will dehydrate. Thicker pieces can take longer.

Moreover, if you cut unevenly, you will have unevenly dehydrated pieces with some

requiring more time to dehydrate properly.

Meat, fish and poultry can also be dehydrated but you should take care to choose low-fat,

lean cuts of. Since dehydration only dries out the moisture, it does nothing to render or

reduce the fat and it can make the dehydrated food item taste rather weird.

You can choose to marinate the meat slices for at least 24 hours before popping them

into the dehydrator to give the finished product more flavors. Make sure all the meat

slices are cut uniformly and are dehydrating evenly on all sides. When the strips feel crisp

yet are still slightly flexible, they will be ready to cool down and store in airtight

containers.

In seafood, scallops and shrimps are the easiest and best items to dehydrate and store.

You can also try other lean fishes, like sardines or mackerels. Avoid using fatty fishes, like

salmon, because the fat can be an issue with them as well.

Things to Keep in Mind

Once you have your dehydrator box ready and the food cut up, you may experience a few

trials during the start.

In fact, just plan on doing a couple test runs. You will need the practice and the specific

foods that you’re dehydrating may dehydrate at different rates depending on things like

the humidity.

The best thing to do is to not give up and keep the following points in mind:



● Start out with thin apple slices. They are easy to dehydrate and there’s little room

for error with them.

● Once a food item is dehydrated, it is perfectly normal for it to have a darker color

than it had, in its natural form.

● Vegetables usually become crispy when they are dehydrated and can make great,

healthy chips.

● To rehydrate any food item, boil it for 10 minutes in 3 cups of water in order to kill

bacteria and rehydrate it faster.

● If you need to adjust the temperature, do it before putting the food item inside.

Like an oven, you have to preheat the dehydrator box. If you choose to adjust the

temperature while the food is inside, the food starts to develop a dry crust on top

while retaining moisture inside it.

● Avoid using fatty fishes, meats, and eggs for dehydration purposes.

● Never wrap or lay food down on aluminum foil since it will begin to cook or burn

the food.

● When starting out, trial and error will be a large part of your methodology but try

to pay attention. Refine the faults and observe what worked and didn’t work for

you.

With these tips in mind, you can successfully start to dehydrate any food item you like on

your own.

Canning

Everyone has seen canned food items and by far, canning is one of the easiest ways to

store food, ensuring it lasts you longer. Canning by commercial companies may be of a

superior quality but the materials they use are often rather harmful. Canned foods are

usually immersed in a liquid solution, like brine or something else which allows the food

to remain fresh for quite some time.



Canning largely involves sterilizing not only the food item but the container itself which

will ensure the enzymes or microbes in the food are not activated or present to make the

food start decomposing.

Although it does not give food items the same mobility dehydration does, canning is more

popularly used because it is easier to apply to almost any food item and food stays good

for at least a year when canned properly. Moreover, canning is extremely simple and you

don’t need a special shelf with heat regulation to can food items on your own.

While you cannot do commercial canning at home, unless you have the machinery for it at

your place, you can take advantage of a rustic canning method which seals food items in a

similar manner and makes it easier to try canning at home.


Since canning is so easy to do at home, you may have quite a few of the materials needed

for canning purposes lying around. Mainly, canning involves a lot of boiling since it is the

best means for sterilization. For this purpose, you will need the following:

Heat Resistant Containers

Before canning, the containers are sterilized by boiling them and then the containers are

boiled again once they are filled with the mixture. The best thing to do here would be to

get jars or containers which can tolerate the heat well.

Mason jars are among the best and most

easily available containers which can be used

for canning. You can get a wide assortment

of sizes at almost any grocery store or

discount store for very low prices.

The thick glass jars can withstand the high

temperature required for sterilization. While



canning with mason jars does not look a lot like canning, it is largely referred to as bottling

and is popularly used in many households to this day.

Two-Piece Lids

These are easily available and you can find plenty of them being sold along with Mason

jars that are meant to be used for bottling purposes. A two-piece lid is necessary since it

helps to create a sterilized vacuum area inside the jar and keeps micro-organisms,

moisture and other foreign bodies out of the jars.

Canning Rack

When canning or bottling, the Mason jars should not touch the sides or the bottoms of

the pan they are submerged in. Since this is somewhat impossible, you need to get a

canning rack.

A canning rack can be slung on the inside of a pot of boiling water, allowing the cans to be

submerged in the water for as long as required. With a canning rack, you don’t have to

worry about getting the jars in and out of the pan too. Just place them on the canning

rack and take them out or place them in the pot.

Large Pans or Pressure Canners

One of the most important components of home canning is having large pans in which to

boil the water for the water bath. These pans should be wide and deep enough to allow

your canning rack and whole mason jars to be submerged completely.

Before setting a pan aside for canning, take an empty Mason jar and place it inside the

pan to check its depth and width. Ideally, a pan should be able to hold up to 6 Mason jars

with ease. Moreover, certain food items require more pressure in the canning process.

More pressure is needed to create a tighter vacuum which is necessary owing to the

nature of the food item.

Meat items, in particular, may need a pressure canner. For this purpose, you will have to

buy a pressure canner pot which can make things easy for you. Good pressure canners



can be found at low prices easily. Just make sure your jars and canner rack will fit

comfortably inside the pressure canner.

Tongs

The most overlooked item but among the most necessary, a good pair of sturdy tongs will

help prevent burns to your hands. You can easily scoop out the hot jars and bottle caps

and submerge them in the hot water baths with the help of these tongs.

Get heat resistant tongs to avoid ruining them continuously. You can also opt to sterilize

your tongs before use in order to ensure they are also free of any micro-organisms.

These are the most important items you will need for your home bottling or canning

process.

Which Food Items Should You Can?

When you are canning, you don’t have to be as careful with the food items you choose.

Whether you are using them raw or cooked, canning can house a larger number of

options, even keeping perishable items good far longer than expected.

There are plenty of recipes you can pick and you will actually be surprised by the freedom

you get when canning. Almost any food item can be canned easily.

While canning does give you more freedom for picking food items, you have to pay

attention to other factors which can greatly influence the end result.

Preparing Food for Canning Purposes

Canning food is easy but you have to take care of certain fine points in order to refine the

results.

Always use fresh, high quality food. The quality of the food will also play a role in how well

it stays in storage.



Whether you are canning vegetables and fruits items, always choose fresh, healthy

produce.

For vegetables, it is best to can them within 12 to 16 hours of picking or buying them.

Vegetables and fruit can be packed raw but it is preferable you blanch lightly before

packing them in the can. That just means that you should boil the item briefly – it

denatures the enzymes.

Fish and meat items can last for 2 days but try not to delay them any longer. If you want

to can fruits like peaches, plums, pears and apricots, it is advisable to let them ripen for a

day.

You also need to cook meat and fish items before starting to can them. This will help to

eliminate the presence of microbes and bacteria as well.


Canning is simple and easy but you have to pay attention to certain things which can

affect how well you can your food and how well it lasts in storage.

If you aren’t aware of them, it can greatly compromise the quality of the canned food and

may also make them go bad faster than they should. Therefore, keep the following in

mind in order to can your food successfully:

Acidic and Alkaline

When pressure canning, the acidic and alkaline levels of the food item does play a role in

how the food item fares in the can. Items like oranges, lemons, limes, cucumbers and

tomatoes are already high in acidic content.

Therefore, when canning them, they will need an alkaline bath in order to last longer.

Moreover, they do not require as much pressure as those which are more alkaline in

nature. Keeping this point in mind is extremely important. If you aren’t aware of the



natural alkaline and acidic nature of the food items you are planning to can, take the time

to research it.

You can also keep some litmus paper around your kitchen and swab some of the juices

from the fruit or meat on it. Litmus paper changes color based on the pH value of the

object. You can then compare the color with a chart which shows exactly how high or low

the acidic and alkaline level is. Finding this out is necessary since microbes and bacteria

thrive in alkaline environments and you can then figure out the proper packing method

which can suit them more.

Pressure and Temperature

Temperature also plays an important role and based on the acidic or alkaline nature of

the food item being canned, it can either be high or low. As a basic rule, anything that is

considered to be a low acid has to be processed under higher pressure.

Moreover, anything with high acid content can be easily canned with a warm bath only.

However, while the temperature can be adjusted for most vegetables and fruits, strictly

try to cook the poultry, meats and fishes at a temperature of 240°F to put 10 pounds of

pressure on the cans.

Another thing which you should consider is how high or low you are above sea level. This

does mean where you are situated or where you live.

For example: If you are below 1000 feet below sea level, applying 10 pounds of pressure

will be sufficient to can your food items successfully.

However, if you are above sea level, you will have to increase the pressure based on your

altitude.

For example: At 1000 to 2000 feet above sea level, you will need to apply 11 pounds of

pressure. At 2000 to 4000 feet, you will need to apply 12 pounds of pressure. Keep

increasing the pressure as the altitude increases.



Cold Packing or Hot Packing

Once you have your produce ready to go into the can or the jar, you will need to pack it in.

Packing does not mean you have to stuff as much produce into the can or jar as you can.

You will need to include a liquid medium which will help to preserve the food and keep it

well.

When canning, you have to eliminate the air in the jars. Sterilizing will only get rid of the

microbes and bacteria. Presence of air inside the jars can ruin the food faster than

expected. Hot packing is one of the best ways to remove air. However, not every food

item is meant to be canned through the hot packing method.

Hot packing entails adding hot liquid with the food, whether it is stock or simply boiled

water. The hot water eliminates the presence of oxygen, gets rid of microbes and even

helps denature enzymes which could have made the food start to decompose.

Cold packing entails adding cold liquid to the food in the can or jar. While cold packing

does not offer the same benefits as hot packing, it is still better suited for some food

items instead of hot packing. The main thing you have to pay attention to is whether the

recipe you are following needs you to use cold or hot packing. In the end, as long as you

pay attention to these details and the instructions mentioned in your recipe, you can

preserve your food successfully at home and enjoy it, even after a month or two.

Freeze Dried

Freeze drying food items is one of the best ways to store food properly. Freeze dried food

items are extracted completely of all the moisture they contain. Oftentimes, this means

the food items are frozen and dried.

The process involves the food item being frozen and being placed in a vacuum chamber

where they are blasted with hot air which removes the water in the form of frozen water

crystals. This also allows the food to get rid of more water than it would if it was simply

dried.



With no water content, no microorganisms and bacteria can thrive in these food items.

Even the natural enzymes are made completely dormant since they have no water or

moisture to react against. The remaining food item is edible and can actually be preserved

for years instead of months. Freeze drying does give food an exceptionally long shelf life.

Moreover, freeze drying food actually reduces its mass. You can easily store large meals,

ice creams and other items without having to worry about space. Many freeze dried

meals are stored in air-tight, sealed packages and only need to be boiled in water in order

to activate them again.

Unfortunately, this is one storage process which can drastically diminish the nutritional

value of a food item. Commercially freeze dried food items usually have vitamins,

minerals and nutrients injected into the product to make up for the nutrients which were

actually stripped during the freeze drying method.


If you want to make freeze dried food items, you just have to pay attention to a few

specifics. The essential hardware needed to freeze dry food items is already in your home

and you don’t have to worry about a getting special hardware. What you do have to pay

attention to need are the following:

Dryer

When you are planning to freeze dry food at home, you need to help it along by drying it

out. If you have tried to dehydrate your food, you may easily have a homemade dryer

which you can use to dry out your food. On the other hand, if you don’t have a dryer, you

will need to assemble one before you go about it. Do not opt to put food in the oven at a

high temperature.

The heat in an oven only bakes the food item and high temperatures often scorch or burn

the food item. To make your own dryer, take a look at our chapter on dehydration and



you can easily find the best way to make one. Once you have your dryer, pop your food

inside to let it dry.

Freezer

Once the food is dry, pop it inside a deep freezer. Check the temperature of the freezer.

To successfully freeze dry them, you need to keep constantly at a temperature ranging

from -40oF or below. The lower the temperature, the better and faster the food will

freeze.

Once you keep your food in the freezer, do not open it again and again. The food can take

around a week or a week and a half to completely freeze dry properly. After a week, you

should run a small test to see if your food is ready or not. Take a small piece from the

freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. If the piece turns black after thawing, the

food is not ready yet. Close the deep freezer and give it 3 to 4 days more before you check

on the food again. Try to run the test again.

Keep in mind that freeze dried food will not have the same hue as a fresh food item. It

should be a few tones darker, instead of turning black. Once you have tested the food and

it is ready, it is time to start storing them.

Storage

Freeze dried food is only good when it stays out of reach of moisture. Once moisture

enters it, the food will start to decompose slowly. Therefore, you have to be careful when

storing it.

Airtight containers and vacuum-sealed packages are the best options because you will

have to use them in order to keep your freeze dried food items good. If stored in a proper

manner, freeze dried foods can be good for years.

When you need to use some, all you have to do is rehydrate the food item again.

However, unlike dried or dehydrated food items, you cannot store your food in the same

manner.



Which Food Items Should You Choose to Freeze-Dry?

When you want to freeze dry something, you should know you are in luck. Just like with

canning, you get to take advantage of plenty of options with freeze drying. From fresh

fruits and vegetables to eggs, poultry and fishes, you can freeze dry almost anything you

like.

However, there are certain limitations when it comes to freeze drying, particularly owing

to what an average person has at home. Freeze drying requires a vacuum container and a

high pressure, heavy-duty freezer. If one does not have these equipments at home, it is

probable that they might not be able to freeze dry many of the food items are available in

the market.


Freeze drying is simple and easy but you have to pay attention to certain things which can

affect how well the food item turns out and how well it lasts in storage. If you aren’t

aware of them, you can intentionally compromise your food items and they may go bad

faster than they would, right underneath your nose. Therefore, keep the following in mind

in order to can your food successfully:

Water Content of Any Item

Freeze drying largely depends on removing all the moisture from the item. Therefore, the

water content of a particular food item can play a large role.

For example: Since cucumbers happen to have a water content of 95%, not only will they

take longer to freeze dry, they may also taste bad in their freeze dried state.

Find items which are balanced in water quantity. Fruits like blueberries, strawberries,

apples and other similar ones can actually retain their flavor well in freeze dried form as

well. Moreover, meat items can be freeze dried as well although the success you receive

with fatty cuts can be rather limited.



Practice Makes One Perfect

Once you get the hang of it, be sure to expand and practice on other things too. Just

remember there are certain limitations when freeze drying with DIY materials. This means

you may not enjoy much success when you try to freeze dry ice-cream or whole, ready

cooked meals. Nonetheless, you will have to rely on a trial and error methodology when

you first start freeze drying different items.

Common Mistakes Made In Storage Methods Now that you know of the different kinds of storage methodologies which are available to

you, you might be keen to get started. Many of these are pretty easy and you can do

them on your own at home too. Nonetheless, there are certain pitfalls which you have to

watch out for. Whether the results are minor or major, these pitfalls can seriously hamper

the progress you make in using these storage methods.

For this purpose, you need to pay attention to the following mistakes people commonly

make when storing food via these methods.

Dehydration

Dehydration is one of the easiest methods you can apply at home. Nonetheless, being the

easiest, it also has certain fine points which are easy to get wrong in the long run too.


Any food item you use for dehydration purposes needs to be sliced as thinly as possible.

This makes for an evenly flat surface which will dehydrate evenly as well. Certain people

do not pay enough attention to this factor and often start out with slices which are either

too thick or unevenly cut. This can result in poorly dehydrated items which not only

require more time in the dehydrator but will also not last as long as they should.



You should also avoid using food items which have a good amount of fat in them. Items

like salmon or other meat cuts may have good carbs and healthy fats but the fat usually

does not dry and will be visible in a layer over the meat. This can be rather unpleasant to

eat. Therefore, opt for lean cuts of meat and bony fishes which will dry better and last

longer.

Starting With Complicated Items First

Once you get your dehydrator going, you might be tempted to try something complicated

like jerky or other meat items. Nonetheless, curb your restless heart and start simple with

something like apple slices. There’s really no way to go wrong with those and when you

are just starting out, you need to make sure your dehydrator works well.

Apples are one of the easiest and inexpensive ways to test out if your dehydrator works

fine. You won’t lose any money if you make a mistake during your first trial. Once you can

dehydrate apples with ease, move on to the next item on your dehydration list.

Fiddling with the Temperature

Sometimes, you may pop an item into the dehydrator and realize you forgot to change

the temperature to suit it. When this happens, you will have to take the food out

immediately and adjust the temperature or get rid of that batch. If you adjust the

temperature while the food is inside, your food won’t dehydrate perfectly.

The food item starts to develop a dry crust on top while retaining moisture inside it. This

means they may look dried out but they actually won’t be. Such items should be

consumed immediately and not stored for later since the moisture inside them will cause

them to start decomposing.

Storing Food Poorly

Once your food item is dehydrated, it doesn’t mean it is safe from bacteria forever. You

have to make sure the food stays dry by storing them in airtight containers. Presence of



moisture can easily activate the food again and if moisture sneaks into the container, your

dehydrated food can start to go bad sooner than you expected.

Canning

Canning is another easy method which you can apply at home. Nonetheless, it has its own

fine points as well which are easy to get wrong:


Any food item you use for canning purposes needs to be prepared according to its nature.

While canning is possible with raw food ingredients, items which have been blanched,

boiled or slightly precooked can last better and longer when you are canning. Certain

people do not pay enough attention to this factor and often start canning haphazardly.

This can result in poorly canned items which will not last as long as they should.

Packing the Food All Wrong

When canning, you have to pay attention to the alkaline or acidic nature of the food item

you have chosen. Based on this factor, you can choose to hot pack the jar (use hot liquid)

or cold pack the jar (use cold liquid) which can help to neutralize the enzymes.

However, many people often go with their own preference and to save time, will often

choose to cold pack their food. However, the right canning method is not meant to be for

your convenience. If you want the food to last, follow the recipe to the letter.

Not Applying Enough Pressure

Once you have packed your food, you need to seal the cans by applying pressure on them.

Doing so further helps create a vacuum space in the jar. However, applying pressure to

seal them requires a little bit of math and is largely based on your altitude above sea level.

If you didn’t pay attention to this factor, you could end up sealing your cans poorly which

can result in the food going bad sooner than expected.



For example: If you are 1000 feet above sea level, ideally, you should apply 11 pounds of

pressure. On the other hand, if you only apply 8 to 10 pounds, you will end up with poorly

packed cans.

Forgetting to Sterilize the Canning Jars or Bottles and Covers

The success behind canning is largely owing to the fact that the whole process focuses on

complete sterilization. For this purpose, the canning jars and bottles you are using have to

be sterilized in boiling water before they are packed with food. Once the food is packed,

they are sealed and sterilized again by being boiled in hot water again.

When you start out, you may forget to sterilize the canning jars, bottle and covers before

you start packing them with food. While in some cases it may not be such a risk to do so,

in certain cases, it can prove to be a huge issue. Moreover, canning your food without

taking the caution to sterilize the bottles can make it possible for foreign particles like

dust, bacteria and other pathogens to thrive in the container with the food.

Storing Food Poorly

Once you have your food packed and ready, you need to pay attention to how you store

it. Cool, dry places are more preferable. Storing it in the fridge can make you run the risk

of getting moisture in the canning jars. Moreover, storing it where direct sunlight can hit

the jars is bad because the glass tends to magnify the impact of the sun’s rays and could

cause the food in the jar to decompose at a faster rate.

Freeze Dried

Freeze drying is a little complicated when you are trying to do it at home. This is why it is

easy to slip up and make mistakes. The following are some common mistakes you should

avoid:

Not Thinking of Timelines

Freeze drying food can require you to freeze something for days. Some may require 3

days while others may have to be stored for 6 days or more to get the desired results.



Therefore, you need to keep track of when you have put something in the deep freezer

and when you should take it out. If you forget, you could end up with food which is

irregularly frosted since you can’t remember when you actually put the food inside and

how many days have lapsed since then.

Label your food items and mention the dates on them and keep a separate diary with the

names and dates of the food items which you have mentioned since these can help you

keep track of the food better.

Water Content

Pay attention to the water content of the food items. Avoid using anything which has too

much water like cucumbers, zucchinis and oranges since they do not freeze dry properly.

The taste and texture of such items can be repulsive and you won’t be tempted to try

them at all. Start out with something simple and easy, like blueberries, and then move on

to other items.

Vacuum Sealed Storage

Store your food properly in order to help it last longer. Freeze dried food items can

actually last for years but they have to be properly vacuum sealed. Vacuum sealing

removes the presence of pathogens, bacteria and even moisture which can ensure your

food stays good for years. Once the food comes in contact with moisture, it will start to

reactivate and decompose. Therefore if you are thinking about freeze drying, invest in

some vacuum sealed storage containers or packages.

The above mentioned are some of the most common mistakes one can make when

dehydrating, canning or freeze drying. Paying attention to them can help eliminate the

risk of unwanted blunders.



Conclusion We are now at the end of this eBook and it is our sincerest hope you enjoyed reading it.

The information contained within is as accurate as possible and flexible enough to allow

room for little tweaks of your own.

While it is believed that survival is always of the fittest, one can’t really survive if they

don’t have a stash of good food with them. This eBook will help you get started with

preserving and storing more food, particularly for emergency situations or natural

disasters.

Moreover, food storage and preservation are among the most important basic skills for

survival which many people get wrong. If you happen to be among them, don’t despair.

With the help of this eBook, you can easily rectify any mistakes you might have made

previously in the past and learn to store and process your food better.

Good Luck!



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