"Melba's Jammin'" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"TBI" wrote:

Eredena, many thanks for your reply.

We are at the small batch stage at the moment, so 40lb bags are slight
overkill. I've googled extensively and not had tonnes of luck - at least
for
a sensible quantity and price.

As far as the additives are concerned, as a cook I understand what you
are
saying about citric acid, It's no problem to me. However, we are trying
to
keep the ingredients as 'un-chemically' as possible. It's kind of a
marketing thing.

Kind of like here where the "all-fruit spreads" are pitched to the
public as having no added sugar? Whoops!! "Liar, liar, pants on fire,
nose is as long as a telephone wire." They use fruit juices as
sweetener -- typically apple, white grape, or pear juice. (Hint:
they're sweet because of the sugars they contain.) The end product ends
up having maybe 10 fewer calories per tablespoon than a full sugar
product. A few grams less of carbohydrates, too.


"TBI" wrote in message
...
Hi Folks,

I'm looking at making red pepper jelly for sale to local markets. I'm
wanting to avoid using anything artificial. I want to keep the
ingredients
as simple and as natural as possible. The problem is that commercailly
available Pectins contain additivies.

So do some jellies. :-)
Ball brand Fruit Jell powdered pectin (i use it exclusively because it
is less expensive than Sure?Jell or Certo) lists ingredients as
dextrose, fruit pectin, and citric acid. Dextrose is a sugar. It's
there to prevent the powdered pectin from caking. Citric acid adds
acidity which helps the set and reduces the pH level. What's the
problem, other than availability?

I agree with you totaly, but citric acid sounds chemically - and so does
dextrose. I know what they are and where they come from - I've no problem
coz I understand food, but to the uninitiated they don't look natural. It's
more of a branding thing. It gives people a warm fuzzy feeling.


Have you looked into the rules and regs for commercial production? You
might get tips from those folks or referrals. Have you talked to other
vendors about their suppliers?

Does anyone have any suggestions or tips. I've thought of making my own
pectin, so I'm looking for tips on this as well.

You're willing to do more fiddling than I am. Have fun.

You're on the other side of the pond from me by the looks of your mail
address. Look up Herbstreith & Fox KG
http://www.bioprofibre.com/html/herb...___fox_kg.html
They sell to the trade but you might be able to get some samples and
some information from them. That page is in English. :-)

I'm not sure if theirs is apple pectin or citrus pectin -- I'm thinking
it is apple pectin. It's a powder to mix with water to approximate the
liquid pectin we can buy commercially here.


Many thanks for your thoughts,

You're welcome. I have lots of thoughts. :-)

Mat

Let us know what you come up with, Mat.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor
4/23/2008 The rains fall on the just and the unjust alike; sometimes
our umbrellas are not wide enough to keep us dry.