Food preservation assessment tool

1. Food preservation assessment tool

2. How often should a dial gauge canner be tested? A. Every 10 years B. Yearly C. When you feel like it D. No need to test

3. How often should a dial gauge canner be tested? • Yearly Test dial gauge canners to make sure they are accurate.

4. If food looks, smells and tastes perfectly normal, it is safe to eat. A. True B. False C. Don’t know D. Try and see

5. If food looks, smells and tastes perfectly normal, it is safe to eat. B. False Food that is unsafe may not appear spoiled. Don’t taste food unless you know it is safe; that taste may be your last.

6. How much should screw bands be tightened? A. Finger tight before processing B. Finger tight after processing C. Both A and B D. Don’t tighten since air needs to escape

7. How much should screw bands be tightened? A. Finger tight before processing If you tighten bands too much before processing the lids will bend; tightening bands after processing will prevent a seal from forming

8. How high should the water be in a bath canner? A. 1/2 inch above the jar lids B. 1 inch above the jar lids C. Half way up the side of the jars D. 3 inches in the bottom of the canner

9. How high should the water be in a bath canner? B. 1 inch above the jar lids Place water in a water bath canner 1-2 inches above jar lids.

10. How high should the water be in a pressure canner? A. 1/2 inch above the jar lids • 1 inch above the jar lids C. Half way up the side of the jars D. 3 inches in the bottom of the canner

11. How high should the water be in a pressure canner? D. 3 inches in the bottom of the canner

12. Jars appropriate for water bath canning are: A. Mason jars B. Old mayo jars C. Spaghetti sauce jars D. All of the above

13. Jars appropriate for water bath canning are: • All of the above Mason jars, Old mayo jars, and Spaghetti sauce jars can all be used in a water bath canner as long as they fit a 2-piece lid however not recommended to re-use commercial jars or lids.

14. Mold under the lid might be a sign of: A. Improper processing B. Lid too tight C. Untreated lid D. All of the above

15. Mold under the lid might be a sign of: D. All of the above Mold under the lid is a sign that a jar did not seal properly. This can be caused by under processing, a lid on too tight, or using an untreated lid.

16. What food is most often home canned? A. Tomatoes B. Meat C. Jam, Jelly D. Corn

17. What food is most often home canned? A. Tomatoes Tomatoes are most often home canned; while first time canners or those doing very little canning prefer jams and jellies

18. When food is hot packed into jars, how hot should it be? A. 212º F B. 140º F C. 180º F D. 160º F

19. When food is hot packed into jars, how hot should it be? C. 180º F Food to be hot packed should be heated to just below boiling (roughly 180ºF) before being placed into jars.

20. What bacteria is the greatest concern in canned food? A. Salmonella B. Listeria C. C. botulinum D. There are no bacteria in canned food

21. What bacteria is the greatest concern in canned food? C. C. botulinum Botulism toxin can be produced if C. botulinum grows in home-canned food. Consuming botulism toxin can be fatal.

22. How do you make low salt sauerkraut? A. Use 1/2 the salt in the recipe B. Use a salt substitute C. Rinse the kraut before eating D. You are out of luck

23. How do you make low salt sauerkraut? C. Rinse the kraut before eating While you can’t make sauerkraut by using less salt or using a salt substitute, you can rinse the kraut before eating and remove much of the salt that way.

24. The pH that divides water bath canning from pressure canning is: A. 4.0 B. 4.6 C. 5.0 D. 5.2

25. The pH that divides water bath canning from pressure canning is: B. 4.6 Foods with a pH greater than 4.6 (vegetables, meat) must be pressure canned; those with a pH less than 4.6 (pickles, fruit) can be water bath canned.

26. What is the minimum recommended dehydrator temperature when making jerky? A. 212º F B. 140º F C. 145º F D. 160º F

27. What is the minimum recommended dehydrator temperature when making jerky? • 145 F Research published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison recommends that meat be dried at 145ºF or above.

28. Precooking jerky in a marinade to 160°F is done to: • To kill pathogenic bacteria. B. Because most home dehydrators are not designed to reach high temperature. C. Precooking in marinade shortens the drying time and makes a tender jerky.

29. Precooking in marinade does shortens the drying time and makes a tender jerky however the main reason is the following: • E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria can grow in the intestines of animals and contaminate meat during handling. To kill these bacteria, jerky must be heated to 160°F while it is still moist. • Because most home dehydrators are not designed to reach this temperature, the jerky must be heated in another way to guarantee safety.

30. What is the recommended temperature for a home freezer? A. -20º F B. +10º F C. 0º F D. 32º F

31. What is the recommended temperature for a home freezer? C. 0º F Your home freezer should be 0ºF or colder for optimum quality of frozen foods.

32. When processing salsa, start timing: A. Once jars are hot packed B. Once jars are placed in hot water bath C. Once pressure is reached D. Once the water bath returns to a boil

33. When processing salsa, start timing: D. Once the water bath returns to a boil Start timing this water bath process once the water returns to a boil.

34. Proper processing for jams and jellies includes: A. After filling, invert the jars 10 minutes B. Hot pack and seal with paraffin C. Hot pack and process 5 minutes in boiling water D. Hot pack and process 5 minutes after water begins to boil

35. Proper processing for jams and jellies includes: C. Hot pack and process 5 minutes in boiling water Jams and jellies may not gel if processed too long; so keep the water boiling and start timing once the jars are added to the water.

36. Water bath canned green beans can be reprocessed in a pressure canner within: A. 2 hours B. 12 hours C. 24 hours D. Never

37. Water bath canned green beans can be reprocessed in a pressure canner within: C. 24 hours Items that fail to seal or that are improperly processed can be re-processed within 24 hours.

38. If pints and quarts require the same processing time, can they be canned together? A. Yes- pressure and water bath B. No- pressure and water bath C. Yes- pressure/ No- water bath D. No- pressure/ Yes- water bath

39. If pints and quarts require the same processing time, can they be canned together? A. Yes- pressure and water bath They can be water bath canned together; and pressure canned as long as the pressure is the same, or the higher pressure is used.

40. Which of the following is correct: A. Acid: milk, cheese, corn B. Low pH: apples, berries, oranges C. Low acid: apples, berries, oranges D. Low pH: milk, cheese, corn

41. Which of the following is correct: B. Low pH: apples, berries, oranges Apples, berries and oranges all have a pH less than 4.6 (low pH) and they are also high in acid.

42. We blanch items primarily to: A. Kill bacteria B. Destroy spores C. Retain color D. Inactive enzymes

43. We blanch items primarily to: D. Inactive enzymes We blanch items primarily to inactivate enzymes and stabilize quality; an added benefit is that color is stabilized, and surface bacteria are destroyed.

44. A safe thawing method for a turkey is: A. In the refrigerator for 3 days B. In the microwave if cooked right away C. In the sink overnight D. On the counter

45. A safe thawing method for a turkey is: B. In the microwave if cooked right away If you are pressed for time, thaw your turkey in the microwave oven, and then cook it right away.

46. Pickles might turn cloudy because: A. Soft water was used to make the brine B. Table salt was added C. Powdered spices were used D. More than one above but not all

47. Pickles might turn cloudy because: D. More than one above but not all Pickles may turn cloudy because table salt (not canning salt) was used or because powdered spices were used; hard water can also contribute to cloudiness.

48. The correct adjustment in water bath canning includes: A. Higher elevation: longer time B. Higher elevation: higher pressure C. Higher elevation: shorter time D. No adjustment needed in water bath canning

49. The correct adjustment in water bath canning includes: A. Higher elevation: longer time When water bath canner at a higher elevation, extend the processing time.

50. What thickener is most often recommended in canned soups? A. Clearjel B. Cornstarch C. Pasta D. None