B. Fruit is extremely important in the diet on account of its acids and its mineral matter. It also adds bulk to the diet. (See Unit II, Lesson 1.) The high price of fresh fruit out of season discourages its general use. Fruit canned in season not only saves perishable products that would otherwise go to waste, but furnishes economical, palatable, and satisfactory substitutes for fresh fruit in the diet during the time of year when this is high in price. 2, Review the reasons why foods spoil and methods of controlling food spoilage. (See introduction.) 168 USE AND PREPARATION OF FOOD. A. Canning is a method of preservation by heat in which the food is heated to a sufficiently high temperature and for a sufficient length of time to kill all organisms present and then sealed so that no more can enter. Foods so treated will keep indefinitely. 3. Methods of canning fruit: A. Open-kettle method. — By this method food is cooked in an open kettle the required time, transferred immediately to a sterilized jar, and sealed. Jars, tops, rubbers, and all utensils must be thor- oughly sterilized before being used. (1) Advantages: (a) Eequires little time and simple equipment which may be found in any kitchen. The direct application of heat en- ables the boiling temperature to be reached quickly and maintained throughout the food as long as is necessary for complete sterilization. (h) By this method the product may be concentrated to any desired degree before being canned. This is important where jar-space is valuable. (2) Disadvantages: (a) Unless all utensils used are completely sterilized, and unless the work is carefully done and the sealing accom- plished while the product is as near the boiling point as pos- sible, organisms may enter the jar when it is being filled, and the product thereby be spoiled. (h) Many fruits and vegetables canned by this method do not retain their color and shape so well as those canned by the can-cooked process, but in some cases more of their original food value may be preserved. (3) Products for which this method is suited: (a) Ma}' be used for any product which is easily canned or for those products which require concentration before being canned. (h) It should not be used for canning foods high in pro- tein unless the food is later sterilized in the jar. B. Can-cooked method. — By this method the food is packed into tlie jar and both jar and contents are sterilized at the same time in hot water or steam. Since fruits are sterilized by cooking at boil- ing temperature; they may be canned satisfactorily by a one-period cooking in a hot-water bath. The use of a pressure cooker shortens the time required, but is not necessary to keep the fruit. Where a certain consistency or flavor is desired, as in the case of such ]n'oducts as fruit sauces, baked fruits, watery vegetables, and souie meats, the food is precooked, as for the table before being packed into t]ie jar and sterilized by the can-cooked method. rSE AND PREPARATION OF FOOD. 169 (1) Advantages of the can-cooked metliod: (a) It may be used for any fruit, veget^'ble, or meat. {h) It offers less opportunity for spoilage, since the jars are not opened after the fruit is sterilized, and both can and contents are sterilized with the one heating.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

B. Fruit is extremely important in the diet on account of its acids and its mineral matter. It also adds bulk to the diet. (See Unit II, Lesson 1.) The high price of fresh fruit out of season discourages its general use. Fruit canned in season not only saves perishable products that would otherwise go to waste, but furnishes economical, palatable, and satisfactory substitutes for fresh fruit in the diet during the time of year when this is high in price. 2, Review the reasons why foods spoil and methods of controlling food spoilage. (See introduction.) A. Canning is a method of preservation by heat in which the food is heated to a sufficiently high temperature and for a sufficient length of time to kill all organisms present and then sealed so that no more can enter. Foods so treated will keep indefinitely. 3. Methods of canning fruit: A. Open-kettle method. — By this method food is cooked in an open kettle the required time, transferred immediately to a sterilized jar, and sealed. Jars, tops, rubbers, and all utensils must be thoroughly sterilized before being used. (1) Advantages: (a) Requires little time and simple equipment which may be found in any kitchen. The direct application of heat enables the boiling temperature to be reached quickly and maintained throughout the food as long as is necessary for complete sterilization. (h) By this method the product may be concentrated to any desired degree before being canned. This is important where jar-space is valuable. (2) Disadvantages: (a) Unless all utensils used are completely sterilized, and unless the work is carefully done and the sealing accomplished while the product is as near the boiling point as possible, organisms may enter the jar when it is being filled, and the product thereby be spoiled. (h) Many fruits and vegetables canned by this method do not retain their color and shape so well as those canned by the can-cooked process, but in some cases more of their original food value may be preserved. (3) Products for which this method is suited: (a) May be used for any product which is easily canned or for those products which require concentration before being canned. (h) It should not be used for canning foods high in protein unless the food is later sterilized in the jar. B. Can-cooked method. — By this method the food is packed into tlie jar and both jar and contents are sterilized at the same time in hot water or steam. Since fruits are sterilized by cooking at boiling temperature; they may be canned satisfactorily by a one-period cooking in a hot-water bath. The use of a pressure cooker shortens the time required, but is not necessary to keep the fruit. Where a certain consistency or flavor is desired, as in the case of such products as fruit sauces, baked fruits, watery vegetables, and souie meats, the food is precooked, as for the table before being packed into the jar and sterilized by the can-cooked method. (1) Advantages of the can-cooked metliod: (a) It may be used for any fruit, vegetable, or meat. {h) It offers less opportunity for spoilage, since the jars are not opened after the fruit is sterilized, and both can and contents are sterilized with the one heating.

Use and preparation of food