“My mother makes her canned goods in the microwave. It’s a bit weird, isn’t it? »
Indeed, it’s weird. Like other “questionable” methods listed in Anne-Marie Desbiens’ book (the hot blanket, the slow cooker, the dishwasher, etc.), the microwave is not recommended, “among other things because the microwave oven does not heat evenly. Areas overheat, but the core of food – like small beets, for example – does not reach temperatures hot enough. It may therefore be insufficient to kill all the micro-organisms. Also, heat transfer is less efficient in the microwave than it is when using a moist heat source.”
“If the preparation is boiling when potting, can we do without the water bath or the autoclave? »
“It doesn’t matter what we make – jam, marinade, etc. —, all canned goods should always be heat treated after potting. I think the most glaring mistake many people make is not treating the pots. We simply preheat the jars, boil the jam, put that in the jar, close and sometimes even invert the jar (which is also not recommended). And when you hear the “pop” sound, you feel like it worked. But this sound does not mean that we have sterilized the food and destroyed the micro-organisms, it simply means that we have created a vacuum! When we put our acidic preserves in a water bath, they are better, more nutritional, they seal better, keep longer and are safer. »
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
There foodie scientist Anne-Marie Desbiens has just published the book How to preserve without poisoning your family.
“Why aren’t half of my jars sealing?” And why do they come out of the bain-marie half empty? »
“There are several reasons why jars may not seal. First, you must leave an empty space in the jar, of a different height depending on the food you are canning. In general, the more oxygen the food has inside, the more space you need to leave. If there is not enough space, the liquid will tend to want to escape, because there is too much oxygen. Sometimes the jars don’t seal because you tightened the disc too hard or not hard enough. Finally, it can also be linked to insufficient heat treatment or a poorly cleaned neck. »
“Can you eat jam if there is a little mold on it? »
“It’s the same rule as for all foods, canned or not: in general, the more liquid a food is, the more it is not recommended to eat it when there is mold on the surface. If we have a piece of parmesan that has mold, we remove an inch and we can eat it. But when the food is liquid, like yogurt or canned food, if the mold creates toxins and those toxins migrate into the liquid, removing the top is not enough. There could be toxins out there. It is therefore advisable to throw it away. Additionally, if there is mold, it is a sign that the can has not been properly processed. »
“I bought an autoclave two years ago and I’ve never used it… it scares me too much! »
“I hear that phrase often. There are many people who have bought an autoclave, but have never used it, because it scares them. It’s understandable – it’s still a machine under pressure – but that shouldn’t scare us. All modern autoclaves today are equipped with two safety systems which are activated if the pressure ever becomes too high. This fear is probably also caused by the lack of resources. When you buy an All American autoclave, for example, the entire manual is in English, and it is not clearly explained. »
“Every time I am given homemade canned goods as a gift, I throw them away immediately when I get home. No question of taking the risk of being sick! »
“I hear that very often too! People feel bad, because every year they throw away their aunt’s pickles or their friend’s ketchup. They are afraid and don’t want to take risks. I understand them: I don’t eat any canned food that is given to me. As seen in my book, there are many things to consider when canning to ensure that it is truly safe and safe. But hey, if I were sure that the person was following the recommendations of the United States Department of Agriculture – the same ones that I share in the book – I would be reassured. When you follow a good recipe validated in the laboratory, it is very safe. »
The little history of canned goods
In Anne-Marie Desbiens’ book, in bookstores since September 6, the first part is devoted to the fascinating history of the invention of canning.
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ANNE-MARIE DESBIENS ILLUSTRATION
It was the French confectioner and distiller Nicolas Appert who developed the process for canning at the end of the 18th century.e century.
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ANNE-MARIE DESBIENS ILLUSTRATION
Book’s extract The book for all households, or the art of preserving all animal and vegetable substances for several years, written by Nicolas Appert and published in 1810
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ANNE-MARIE DESBIENS ILLUSTRATION
Questionable (and unsafe) practices are transmitted by word of mouth, as evidenced by this reproduction of an illustration from a bulletin from the Ministry of Agriculture of the province of Quebec from 1937.
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ANNE-MARIE DESBIENS ILLUSTRATION
This is a fictional autopsy report created from the observations of Émile van Ermengem, the Belgian bacteriologist who identified botulinum toxin. According to the WHO, these toxins are among the most lethal substances known.
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How to preserve without poisoning your family
Editions La Presse
264 pages