Homemade Preserves Vs. Commercial Foods

Once upon a time everyone prepared their own foods and canning was required knowledge for life. Those were the days of the family farm, when food preparation was the domain of the home, not the corporation. With the industrial revolution came working outside the home, the loss of family farms and commercial food production. Canning preserves is almost a lost art, and there are a variety of considerations in comparing home-preserved fruit and commercially prepared preserves.

Convenience

• The most obvious reason commercially produced foods are so widely used is that they are convenient. All that is required is a trip to the store and a meal is moments away. Canning is very labor-intensive, and in a world where the majority of people work at full- or part-time jobs, canning has become more of a weekend hobby, if it is practiced at all. Most people would agree that home preserved foods taste better, but there are very well made home-style commercial foods on the market as well.

Processing

• Traditional methods of home canning include the batch-boiling and open kettle techniques. One technique even incorporates the use of a microwave oven. Cooks must ensure that temperatures are hot enough that harmful bacteria won't form. Among commercial techniques is one developed in Sweden that replaces canning. Referred to as a "multitherm" process, it is said to preserve food for several months without the use of chemicals, and achieves a fresher tasting product.

Organics

• Canning your own preserves allows for more control over the quality of the food you consume. Most commercially raised fruit are grown with chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, which are associated with cancer and other health problems. People who can their own preserves can use organically grown fruit they have grown or bought. There are, however, an increasing variety of high-quality organic commercially produced preserves widely available on the market.

Other Considerations

• People who practice canning preserves are often very passionate about it. Among the reasons they cite are feeling a depth of connection to their cultural heritage and personal satisfaction. There are other more pragmatic reasons for canning, though. People who raise their own fruit often have more than they can eat or give away and canning is a way to preserve what they can't use right away. Also, some people still live in remote areas far from the convenience of stores, and rely on canning to help provide for their family's needs.