Oddball Canning Alert from Organic Gardening

Can't link the article, unfortunately, but here's the gist of it, should you not want to buy it (Nov. - Jan. issue, with a refer line re Michael Pollan and and a big pumpkin on the cover; theinfo is on p. 16, part of the 'Ask OG' column captioned 'Safe Home Canning'):

Canning jar lids from Ball and Kerr (and some other lesser-known brands) are coated with BPA, AKA bisphenol-A, a chemical used in the manufacture of many plastics. BPA is an estrogenic chemical (meaning it can mimic the female hormone estrogen), and research indicates that BPA can be linked to all manner of problems, including reproductive and developmental issues, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. BPA can leach into foods via the polymer resin sealant used on the above-noted brands of jar lids.

The only expert cited is a Frederick vom Saal, PhD, who is listed as a "...Curator's professor of biological sciences who studies endocrine disruptors at the University of Missouri...", and who recommends that home canners use a BPA-free product. OG follows up on his remark by recommending "...German-made Weck canning jars (which) use glass lids, rubber rings,and metal clasps to seal the jars..." - in other words, a canning system that isn't approved by the USDA. No BPA-free brands of sealing lids were mentioned. I have one of these jars, which I use for storing Sichuan peppercorns, but I can't imagine actually canning anything in them. Heck, I'd rather go to Treasure Island and bust out the paraffin, like Grandma Hegstrom used to use on her jams & jellies.

Thoughts?

If you google "canning lids bpa" you'll find other pages about this issue.

My (limited) understanding of this issue is that to the extent there is any contamination, it occurs if the food touches the lid. This rarely happens, at least when I can food. So I tend to take the view that there are a lot of things that could go wrong with home canned food and with commercially prepared food, but the risks associated with BPA in home canned foods seem pretty minimal.

What makes it "oddball"?

What makes it 'oddball' in my eyes is that OG is now recommending using canning procedures that are outmoded, in lieu of the current USDA-approved methods. Home canning safety isn't anything to mess around with, and advising people to do this seems odd to me. As noted above, TI still sells paraffin, too, but that doesn't mean you should actually use it to preserve food.

If you see an issue on the rack at, say, Chalet, or Home Depot, take a look at the article. The endorsement of rubber-ring canning extends to including the including the website of Weck, http://www.weckcanning.com.

I'd be interested to hear the opinions of a hard-core canner like Cathy2 on these matters - meaning, 1) is BPA leached into home-canned food in significant amounts via direct contact, as Dr. vom Saal thinks is the case, and 2) has she ever used Weck jars fo actual canning, and not just dry storage, as I have?

There was just a big brouhaha about older SIGG bottles maybe leaching some BPA.

I have a couple of older SIGG bottles with that coating. They don't make the same shape and outside coating or color anymore (all of which I like), and when I thought about returning them I realized that with bringing my lunch in plastic ware and whatever else plastic that holds food or drink, anything coming out of the SIGG bottles is probably a drop in the bucket. So I'm just keeping the old bottle.

Can't comment on the other stuff, but I did run into this USDA info regarding paraffin that I thought was of interest. I never knew the reason why it wasn't recommended anymore; nice that all that information is easily accessible.

sundevilpeg wrote:2) has she ever used Weck jars fo actual canning, and not just dry storage, as I have?

Im curious to see if anyone on LTHland has used Weck jars too? I noticed that they are based in Crystal Lake and curious if I can get the jars from them directly or if not where I can buy them at.

Those Weck jars look nice. Without the metal "pop top," how do you know if you have a good vacuum seal?

teatpuller wrote:Those Weck jars look nice. Without the metal "pop top," how do you know if you have a good vacuum seal?

You'll know because you won't be able to get the lid off, though I suppose this doesn't quite guarantee it will be airtight. I suspect this is one reason the USDA doesn't recommend them.

Does the USDA specifically recommend against rubber-ring systems?

The National Center for Home Food Preservation says "Other commercial jars with mouths that cannot be sealed with two-piece canning lids are not recommended for use in canning any food at home."

See http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general/re ... _lids.html

Can someone tell me how you can reseal a Weck? Not during the canning process, but after you make, jelly or something, and give it as a gift, will the recipient be able to reseal the jar as they use up the jelly?

THanks,
J

shadesofjay wrote:Can someone tell me how you can reseal a Weck? Not during the canning process, but after you make, jelly or something, and give it as a gift, will the recipient be able to reseal the jar as they use up the jelly?

If you are talking about "closing" then it will close again, you can purchase plastic lids to give with the jars for refrigerator storage. The only time it is "sealed" is when the canning takes place. See
http://www.weckcanning.com/docs/canning_spotlight.htm
for more info on the product.

Darren72 wrote:The National Center for Home Food Preservation says "Other commercial jars with mouths that cannot be sealed with two-piece canning lids are not recommended for use in canning any food at home."

See http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general/re ... _lids.html

My impression is that in that section they are talking about re-using jars from purchased food (like dijon mustard, mayonnaise etc)

Has anybody heard of these/tried them? [url=www.lehmans.com/store/Kitchen___Canning_and_Preserving___Jars__Lids_and_Rubbers___Reusable_Canning_Jar_Lids___1141085?Args,%]BPA-Free reusable canning lids.[/url] It freaks me out more than a little that they're both plastic and reusable.

Hi,

I read during the summer of people buying them and using them, though no feedback if they were happy.

CAnning flats cost anywhere from 99 cents to $1.50 for ten lids. This alternative is $18.95/two dozen or 78 cents per lid assembly. You need to buy new gaskets every year at $3.49 for what I presume is 2 dozen or 14.5 cents. Plus shipping and handlings, which is a hidden and not so insignificant cost. Any jar you give away as a gift is likely not returning, so you will need new lid assemblies every year.

The flats being fussed about has very little to no contact with the contents after processing. There are so many things I need to worry about, this is not going to be added to my personal list.

Regards,

A few months ago a post on another thread mentioned they had purchased flats in bulk. Went to e-bay, and found an auction for 720 reg. Ball flats-12 per box - 60 boxes total for $92.99 with S&H $10.70. Same seller also had 396 wide-mouth Ball flats-12 per box - 33 boxes total for $74.99 with same $10.70 S&H.

fredd wrote:A few months ago a post on another thread mentioned they had purchased flats in bulk. Went to e-bay, and found an auction for 720 reg. Ball flats-12 per box - 60 boxes total for $92.99 with S&H $10.70. Same seller also had 396 wide-mouth Ball flats-12 per box - 33 boxes total for $74.99 with same $10.70 S&H.

Hi,

I haven't bought flats in several years. I found narrow mouth flats for under $1 per box and bought everything. I bought a smaller quantity of wide mouth flats, because I avoid using wide mouth because everything related is just a bit more expensive.

At $1.50 per box of flats (not rings), it is roughly retail or maybe a bit more.

Thanks for alerting, because bargains do pop up there.

Regards,