Nutrition & Health

Nutrition Policy Institute director Hannah Thompson was selected as a UCDC Presidential Faculty Fellow through the University of California Washington Program. The fellowship brings together UC faculty to Washington, DC after equipping them with the skills to engage with policymakers on Capitol Hill on…

It's important to know the difference between cleaning and sanitizing.Cleaning and sanitizing (or disinfecting) are two important processes for helping prevent food-borne illness, whether you’re cooking or canning. Yes, they are two separate processes, and they’re both necessary. First, some quick…

Temperatures matter, from the beginning to the end of the canning process.Home canning involves more than just heating jars of food in a canner. There are many steps in the process, from food preparation to checking that jars sealed after processing – all of which contribute to a product that’s safe to eat…

Commercial juice is an easy and convenient option, but...Yes, you can certainly make jelly from commercially prepared juice (either bottled or frozen). It’s faster and easier than extracting your own juice from fresh fruit.  There are a couple of things to keep in mind, however. The juice should be…

Internet practice is not a recommended preservation method. Another preservation process making the internet rounds recently is so-called “dry canning,” in which dried foods such as beans, grains, pasta, nuts, flour, etc. are put into canning jars and then the jars are heated in a low oven. Some…

Dry canning vegetables doesn't ensure even heating. Another “homemade” canning method (in other words, someone made it up themselves) has been making the internet rounds recently, which involves pressure canning vegetables without any added liquids. The food, either cooked or raw, is simply put in a jar…

Make eggnog only from pasteurized eggs.Eggnog is a seasonal/holiday tradition in many households, and while it can be purchased commercially, some people prefer to make their own at home. Can you do so safely?  For sure, but use only pasteurized eggs when making eggnog. Raw eggs can be contaminated with…

 I learned how to can fruits and vegetables from my grandmother while growing up mostly in the Midwest. I loved the cool, earthy smell of a root cellar and took delight in perusing the many rows of colorful jars, especially when it was 95°F outside with 90% humidity.  Wherever the family moved, we…

Four valuable lessons that will take the stress out of canning pickled asparagus.My first time making pickled asparagus at home, by myself, with a borrowed steam canner, was a lot of fun, a fair amount of work, and produced what I would call mixed results, but I have no regrets.   The recipe I…

Flat sour is a result of improper cooling procedures. Flat sour is a type of food spoilage that results in food having an unappealing tasteless or off-flavor and a sour-like vinegar aroma.  It is caused by thermophilic bacteria surviving the canning process because the jars of food were kept hot…