Community Canning Centers

Title

Community Canning Centers

Excerpt

Community canning centers have found a definite place in the life of many communities. That they fill a need is shown by the fact that there has been a continual increase in their number and an expansion of the facilities of those already established. These centers serve many useful purposes. They prevent waste of locally abundant foods and improve the nutritional level of lower income groups by preserving home-grown foods for use at a time when fresh produce is relatively high in price. Schools have found that by using these centers to can produce for their school-lunch programs they have been able to provide better lunches without increasing their cost to the children.

As a result of the development of interest in community canning centers many requests for information on their establishment and operation have been received. This publication, a revision of Miscellaneous Publication No. 544, is intended to provide answers to these requests. The information contained in the April 1944 issue of Miscellaneous Publication No. 544 and the supplements released in August and September 1944 have been incorporated in this edition with slight revisions. In response to numerous demands, a section has been added on the establishment and operation of small canning centers that use gas burners.

The instructions given are based on experience acquired in the organization and operation of successful food-preservation centers and on information obtained from authorities in the field of canning. The canning techniques presented are for approved steam-pressure and water-bath methods and are based on ungraded products packed in a clean, sanitary manner. Since it was necessary to prepare this material for use on a national basis it may be found that the techniques here recommended need slight modification in some cases in order to conform with State laws on food, safety, health, and sanitation.

Although the scope of this publication has been limited to canning, many communities have found it desirable to provide facilities for other methods of preservation, such as quick freezing, dehydrating, salting, and brining. Much of the equipment used for the preparation of foods for canning may be used for the preparation of foods to be preserved by any of these methods, thus effecting a saving in space and cost of equipment.