Canning produce correctly is essential to safe food preservation, and according to Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee, two key ingredients to make many canned or pickled foods safe are bottled lemon juice and vinegar. 

“Bottled lemon juice is standardized, or uniformly acidified, per (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) regulations,” Blakeslee said. “Therefore, it is consistent, which provides a known level of safety for food preservation.”  

The acidity of the product is important to prevent the growth of microorganisms that can cause spoilage or foodborne illness. Fresh lemons have an inconsistent acid, or pH, level. This can vary within the same variety of lemons but also vary due to maturity, growing conditions, soil, fertilizer, rootstock, and storage conditions.  

Researched and tested recipes have been created and evaluated to achieve the safest food product in the end. 

“Taking shortcuts in food preservation can lead to spoiled food, foodborne illness, and in rare cases, death,” Blakeslee warns.  

If using vinegar, the first step is to read the label. Look for vinegar that is 5% acidity, but not all vinegar is the same. They range from 2.5% to more than 6% acidity. If it is not 5%, it could lead to improperly acidified foods and unsafe foods after processing. 

“Do not use any vinegar labeled for cleaning purposes as they may contain other ingredients that are not safe to consume,” Blakeslee said.  

Blakeslee publishes a monthly newsletter called You Asked It! that provides numerous tips on food safety. More information is also available from the Cottonwood Extension offices in Great Bend and Hays. 

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. One may reach her at 620-793-1910 orkrwinkel@ksu.edu.