1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods canning
guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with paraffin,
isn't that a bit dangerous?
I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed with it but I think
I would be a bit nervous.
2nd question, years ago I remember seeing jelly instructions using bottled
juice
to make jelly with, i think you used unsweetened. any body have the
instructions?
thanks

Nobody but us chickens wrote:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods canning
guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with paraffin,
isn't that a bit dangerous?

Not dangerous per se (cf, "dangerous" meaning botulism or something),
but after a while the jelly can mold. It's not recommended any more and
I don't do it as of two years ago. BWB (boiling water bath process) the
jars.

2nd question, years ago I remember seeing jelly instructions using bottled
juice to make jelly with, i think you used unsweetened. any body have the
instructions?

I'd get a package of powedered pectin and look at the instructions that
come in the box--you'd just be skipping the step of making the juice.

B/

"Nobody but us chickens" wrote in
:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods
canning guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with
paraffin, isn't that a bit dangerous?

Using paraffin to seal jelly has not been an approved method for years.
Using properly sterilized jars and lids and processing in a boiling
water bath for the time specified for the recipe is the current correct
and safe method.

Having said that, I personally use the inversion method most of the
time.

I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed with it but I
think I would be a bit nervous.
2nd question, years ago I remember seeing jelly instructions using
bottled juice
to make jelly with, i think you used unsweetened. any body have the
instructions?
thanks

If you're using Sure-Jel or Certo, you can follow the recipes from the
point where juice is made from fresh fruit. Use the specified
measurements and product.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.

"Nobody but us chickens" wrote in
:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods
canning guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with
paraffin, isn't that a bit dangerous?

Using paraffin to seal jelly has not been an approved method for years.
Using properly sterilized jars and lids and processing in a boiling
water bath for the time specified for the recipe is the current correct
and safe method.

Having said that, I personally use the inversion method most of the
time.

I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed with it but I
think I would be a bit nervous.
2nd question, years ago I remember seeing jelly instructions using
bottled juice
to make jelly with, i think you used unsweetened. any body have the
instructions?
thanks

If you're using Sure-Jel or Certo, you can follow the recipes from the
point where juice is made from fresh fruit. Use the specified
measurements and product.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.

In article , "Nobody but us
chickens" wrote:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods
canning guide that didn't look too old.

What's the copyright information? I've heard it said that anything more
than 10 years old should be checked for updated info.

it said for jelly to seal with paraffin, isn't that a bit dangerous?

Rationale: pinholes or cracks in the paraffin can allow mold spores to
enter the jelly and reproduce. Long term harm of mold isn't entirely
known; there are some that are known to cause cancer in animals, but
tests and research (AFAIK) haven't been done w/re to humans.

The proper way is to process in a boiling water bath.

I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed

No blackberries at my house; we ate raspberry jam.

with it but I think I would be a bit
nervous. 2nd question, years ago I remember seeing jelly instructions
using bottled juice to make jelly with, i think you used unsweetened.
any body have the instructions?

At least one of the pectin products I'm familiar with (I'm thinking
Sure€Jell) has instructions for making jelly from commercially bottled
juices.

thanks

You're welcome.
--
-Barb, www.jamlady.eboard.com An update on 7/4/04.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

it said for jelly to seal with paraffin, isn't that a bit dangerous?

Rationale: pinholes or cracks in the paraffin can allow mold spores to
enter the jelly and reproduce. Long term harm of mold isn't entirely
known; there are some that are known to cause cancer in animals, but
tests and research (AFAIK) haven't been done w/re to humans.

Not only are the molds dangerous, especially to allergy-prone people, but
the by-products of some molds (mold poop?) produce toxins, which are also
dangerous. Why reheating moldy food won't necessarily get rid of all the
baddies. From the website somebody quoted here recently. Univ of Georgia?

Edrena

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

it said for jelly to seal with paraffin, isn't that a bit dangerous?

Rationale: pinholes or cracks in the paraffin can allow mold spores to
enter the jelly and reproduce. Long term harm of mold isn't entirely
known; there are some that are known to cause cancer in animals, but
tests and research (AFAIK) haven't been done w/re to humans.

Not only are the molds dangerous, especially to allergy-prone people, but
the by-products of some molds (mold poop?) produce toxins, which are also
dangerous. Why reheating moldy food won't necessarily get rid of all the
baddies. From the website somebody quoted here recently. Univ of Georgia?

Edrena

in article , Nobody but us chickens
at wrote on 18/7/04 9:04 AM:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods canning
guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with paraffin,
isn't that a bit dangerous?
I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed with it but I think
I would be a bit nervous.
2nd question, years ago I remember seeing jelly instructions using bottled
juice
to make jelly with, i think you used unsweetened. any body have the
instructions?
thanks


You don't need to be nervous if you are willing to throw out any jam or
jelly that you find has mold on it. We use a BWB because then we know that
the seal prevents new molds from growing. Some molds can secrete toxins
that are carcinogenic and without identifying the mold you won't know what
may be going into your jam or jelly. Scraping it off won't solve the
problem. Parafin wax and other non BWB methods won't give you the assurance
that mold won't grow on your product. However this is quite a different
situation from botulism which can be deadly and doesn't show its presence by
anything that you can smell, see or taste.
Ellen
--

in article , Nobody but us chickens
at wrote on 18/7/04 9:04 AM:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods canning
guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with paraffin,
isn't that a bit dangerous?
I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed with it but I think
I would be a bit nervous.
2nd question, years ago I remember seeing jelly instructions using bottled
juice
to make jelly with, i think you used unsweetened. any body have the
instructions?
thanks


You don't need to be nervous if you are willing to throw out any jam or
jelly that you find has mold on it. We use a BWB because then we know that
the seal prevents new molds from growing. Some molds can secrete toxins
that are carcinogenic and without identifying the mold you won't know what
may be going into your jam or jelly. Scraping it off won't solve the
problem. Parafin wax and other non BWB methods won't give you the assurance
that mold won't grow on your product. However this is quite a different
situation from botulism which can be deadly and doesn't show its presence by
anything that you can smell, see or taste.
Ellen
--

"Nobody but us chickens" wrote:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods canning
guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with paraffin,
isn't that a bit dangerous?
I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed with it but I think
I would be a bit nervous.


I quit using paraffin when I saw the parade of ants helping themselves
to my jams and jellies.
--
Susan N.

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who do not.

"Nobody but us chickens" wrote:

1st question, at a local just store I picked up a general foods canning
guide that didn't look too old. it said for jelly to seal with paraffin,
isn't that a bit dangerous?
I remember when I was a kid eating blackberry jam sealed with it but I think
I would be a bit nervous.


I quit using paraffin when I saw the parade of ants helping themselves
to my jams and jellies.
--
Susan N.

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who do not.