UC Master Food Preserver Program of Orange County

Welcome to our new home page!

Visit our MFPOC BOOTH at South Coast Plaza's Spring Garden Show (3333 Bear St. in Costa Mesa) April 24-27, 2025.

UC Master Food Preserver Mission Statement:
To teach research-based practices of safe home food preservation to the residents of California.

 

Who are we?   

UC Master Food Preservers of Orange County

• The UCCE Master Food Preserver Program is part of a countrywide effort by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) to raise public awareness and promote safe food practices at home. The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) is the designated source for current research-based food preservation recommendations at home.
• The University of California (UC) administers California's participation through its Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) division. Counties active in this statewide program do so with funding and support from their county's local UC Cooperative Extension (CE) office and donations to their program.   
• Orange County volunteers are trained at the South Coast Research and Extension Center (South Coast REC). We, UC Master Food Preservers of Orange County (MFPOC) are certified by the University of California Cooperative Extension to extend research-based knowledge about food safety and safe ways to preserve food at home. We volunteer our time to teach hands-on classes and reach out to the greater community with demonstrations and information booths at various location through Orange County.  Read more About Us, about the UC Mastter Food Preserver Program and what we do in Orange County. Then, if you are interested in volunteering with MFPOC and you are an Orange County resident, read how to Become a Master Food Preserver in Orange County.

What's our plan to meet our stated goals?

• Public outreach through information booths, presentations, demonstration and hands-on classes at locations within Orange County, California.

  We work with organizations to create events.     Request a Speaker 

  Upcoming events are displayed at the bottom of this page. Information is also

  • accessible on our Events page
  • posted on our social media
    • FaceBook UCCE-Master-Food-Preserver-OC
    • Instagram Master_Food_Preservers_OC
  • sent out to our email distribution list     Sign up for our Email

• Educational information on this website whose focus is sharing information about food safety and safe ways to preserve food at home

  • Food Safety pages: introduction and links for everyday or when entertaining, in case of emergency.
  • Food Preservation pages - Preserving Food at Home - introduction and a selection of foods with safe methods to retain quality and extend usage; About Food Preservation - historical, commercially available versus research-tested methods that are safe at home.
  • Resources: Food Preservation Resources - some sources we use to get information about safe food preservation;
    other related information, including answers to frequently asked question from our Helpline.
    Can't find the answer to your food preservation question on our website?     Ask our Helpline

• Communication via email. Contact Us