Food Preservation

While you can find many food preservation resources online, not all of them are research-tested and safe. Be sure to follow trusted resources from the University of Wisconsin, Division of Extension or the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Pressure Canner Testing

The Extension Winnebago County office offers free testing of pressure canner lids! At this time, our office can only test gauges for Presto, National, Magic Seal, and Maid of Honor brand canners. Please contact our Health & Well-Being Educator, Katie Jaegly, at katie.jaegly@wisc.edu to schedule an appointment.

Using and Caring for a Pressure Canner
Food Preservation Equipment and Supplies
Nebraska Extension Pinterest Page: UNL Food Preservation

Due to the nature of our work, immediate or same-day responses may not always be available. We encourage you to plan ahead and reach out with questions before you begin your food preservation process, and we wish you a safe and enjoyable food preservation season!

Extension Food Preservation Videos & Narrated PowerPoints

The So Easy to Preserve series provides videos and narrated PowerPoints that can help you learn how to safely preserve food or add interest to your teaching.

These videos are encoded in .mp4 format. Free, open-source software for playing .mp4 formatted videos is available at VLC Media Player. To view the video files using a Windows computer, download the files to your computer and then open with the VLC Media Player.

Mini Modules – Using narrated PowerPoint, the University of Minnesota has created 20, 5-minute online Food Preservation mini-modules.  Topics include Pressure Canning 101, Boiling Water Canning Method, Jam and Jelly Basics, and more.

A quick overview of canning can be found in Home Canning Basics from Penn State University.

Freezing

Dehydrating

Extension Food Preservation Publications

The following publications are available for FREE download using the links below. Printed copies can be obtained for a fee by visiting the Extension Winnebago County office at 625 E. County Rd. Y, Suite 600, Oshkosh. 

For a complete list of publications, please view our Food Preservation Safety and Storage brochure here.

Canning Fruits Safely
Canning Vegetables Safely
Canning Meat, Wild Game, Poultry, & Fish Safely
Canning Salsa Safely
Homemade Pickles & Relishes
Freezing Fruits & Vegetables
Making Jams, Jellies, and Fruit Preserves
Safe Preserving – NOW Jams & Jellies in PINT Jars
Safe Preserving – Time-Saving Tips
Using ClearJel (Washington State University)

 Home Food Preservation Fact Sheets

5 Tips for a Successful Home Canning Season
Review the Basics for a Safe Food Preservation Season

Freezing

Drying

Food Safety

Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often.

Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate.

Cook: Cook foods to the right temperature.

Chill: Refrigerate foods promptly.

Foodborne Illness & Recalls

A food recall occurs when a food producer takes a product off the market because there is reason to believe that it may cause consumers to become ill. Food recalls may happen for many reasons, including but not limited to:

• Discovery of organisms, including bacteria such as Salmonella or parasites such as Cyclospora.
• Discovery of foreign objects such as broken glass or metal.
• Discovery of a major allergen that does not appear on the product label.

Recalls are very specific, meaning all information must match for a product to be considered part of a recall. If a product doesn’t match all the information in the recall completely (brand, product name, use or freeze by date, EST number, etc.), then it is not considered part of the recall and is safe to use.

If the product details in the recall notice match the details on the food product you have at home, do not open or consume the product. Instead, do one of the following:

• Return the product to the place of purchase for a refund.
• Dispose of the product following the instructions provided in the recall notice to make sure no one will consume it.
• Recalls and Outbreaks
• Food Poisoning Symptoms

Source: https://www.foodsafety.gov/recalls-and-outbreaks

Holiday Food Safety

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, or even the Super Bowl, holidays are a time for hosting lunches or dinners with your family and friends. Use these resources to ensure the food you serve is safe.
Holiday Food Safety
Game Day Food Safety Tips
Preparing Your Holiday Turkey Safely
Serving Up Safe Buffets
Food Safety and Eating Out

Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency

A flood, fire, national disaster, or loss of power can jeopardize the safety of your food. Knowing how to determine if food is safe – and how to keep it that way – will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. 

Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency Fact Sheet
Guidelines for Consuming Late Season Produce Exposed to Floodwater (English | Spanish | Hmong)

Safe & Healthy: Preserving Food at Home Blog

This Food Safety & Food Preservation Blog covers a variety of topics ranging from safe canning to responding to a food recall. New posts and tips are uploaded almost daily by Dr. Barbara Ingham, University of Wisconsin Professor of Food Science and Division of Extension Food Safety Specialist.

Food Safety Links

FIGHT BAC! Partnership for Food Safety Education
USDA Food Safety Information
USDA Ask Karen Interactive Knowledge Base

Related Links of Interest

MyPlate
Nutrition.gov
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Partnership for Food Safety Education
Extension Publications: The Learning Store
Report a Problem With Food