Food storage, food safety, and food preservation
Due to increased demand Master Food Preserver (MFP) volunteers from Benton-Franklin counties are reaching out statewide to support consumers with food handling in the home. Anyone with questions related to consumer food storage, food safety or food preservation can contact the Master Food Preservers for advice by email at wsuextension@co.benton.wa.us or phone at 509-735-3551.
Information is available on how to store, prepare or process foods that meet both quality and safety guidelines:
At home food preservation can be a rewarding experience, but proper steps must be followed in order to ensure safety. It can be tempting to try that old recipe passed down through the generations, but we don’t recommend it! Many of those old recipes are no longer safe by today’s standards. It’s not worth taking the chance of making your family and friends sick!
You can trust that all of the resources listed on these pages are chock full with current research-based information, and every recipe has been lab tested to ensure it’s safety for your family.
Extension Publications
- Using and Caring for Your Pressure Canner (PNW421)
- Storing Food for Safety & Quality (PNW612)
- Freezing Convenience Foods (PNW296)
- Making Garlic and Herb Infused Oils at Home (PNW664)
Fruits & Vegetables
- Canning Fruits (PNW199)
- Salsa Recipes for Canning (PNW395)
- Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products (PNW300)
- Canning Vegetables (PNW172)
- Freezing Fruits and Vegetables (PNW214)
- Pickling Vegetables (PNW355)
- Drying Fruits and Vegetables (PNW397)
Meat, Seafood, Poultry and Eggs
- Big Game From Hunt to Home (PNW517)
- Canning Meat, Poultry and Game (PNW361)
- Canning Seafood (PNW194)
- Canning Smoked Fish at Home (PNW450)
- Smoking Fish at Home Safely (PNW238)
- Making Jerky at Home Safely (PNW632)
Spanish Publications
- Recetas de salsa para guarder en conserva (PNW395S)
- Guardado de vegetales en conserva (PNW172S)
- Elaboracion de conservas de tomates y productos de tomates (PNW300S)
- Guardado de frutas en conserva (PNW199S)
Extension Fact Sheets
- Canning in Electric Pressure Cookers (Hot Topics)
- Canning on Smooth Top Stoves (Hot Topics)
- Common Canning Errors
- Canning Tomatoes Safely
- Sizzling Salsa
- Pickling Asparagus
- Preserving Okra
- Gifts from the Heart
- Understanding Processing Times for Home Canned Foods (Hot Topics)
Other Research-Based Resources
- So Easy to Preserve
- National Center for Home Food Preservation
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
- Fundamentals of Consumer Food Safety and Preservation: Master Handbook (EC002)
| Some WSU Extension web sites provide links to external sites for the convenience of users. These external sites are not managed by the WSU Extension. Furthermore, WSU Extension does not review, control or take responsibility for the content of these sites, nor do these sites implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of WSU Extension. |
Preserve the Taste of Summer
Preserve the Taste of Summer is a comprehensive food preservation program that includes eight lessons. It is a great opportunity for anyone age 18 years or older who is interested in learning how to safely preserve foods.
Washington State University Extension is announcing a new food preservation program called PRESERVE THE TASTE OF SUMMER. It is a series of eight online lessons for the in-home consumer who wants to learn about food preservation and food safety. It is designed for beginning canners and also veteran canners who wants to update their knowledge and skills. The lessons provide the most current USDA approved food preservation recommendations. Some counties may offer local workshops or hands-on lessons for those people who complete the online lessons.
ONLINE LESSONS
The online lessons can be viewed at your convenience. They do not need to be viewed all at the same time. To participate in the lessons, you will need a computer made in the past five years and have a stable internet connection. Your local WSU Extension office may also offer opportunities to view these lessons in a group setting.
To register for the online series, visit
http://preservesummer.cahnrs.wsu.edu
ONLINE LESSON SERIES
Lesson 1: Intro to Food Preservation
Lesson 2: Canning Basics
Lesson 3: Canning Acid Foods
Lesson 4: Canning Low Acid Foods
Lesson 5: Pickled & Fermented Foods
Lesson 6: Making & Preserving Fruit Spreads
Lesson 7: Frozen & Refrigerated Foods
Lesson 8: Drying Foods
Lesson Series Cost: $25