What is the best way to test the pH balance of a resulting recipe mixture
before canning since modifying a recipe ever so slightly can change the pH
balance of the end product?


Jason

As a followup to my prior posting.

Is a pH testing method/device just as valid for canning home fruits and
jellies? Or do they always have a pH balance 4.6? I read something about
the sugar and acid in these groups but not sure if the sugar plays a factor
or not, and would sugar contribute to the overall pH balance?

And is a pH tester a 100% valid way to test all resulting recipe mixtures
raw or hot packed?


"rogers news" wrote in message
...
What is the best way to test the pH balance of a resulting recipe mixture
before canning since modifying a recipe ever so slightly can change the pH
balance of the end product?


Jason

rogers news wrote:
What is the best way to test the pH balance of a resulting recipe mixture
before canning since modifying a recipe ever so slightly can change the pH
balance of the end product?


Jason


I would open a sample jar (or 2 or 3) after they were canned and cooled
to room temperature, and test with narrow-range pH indicator paper. pH
meters are finicky and require careful calibration and storage of the
probes in distilled water, etc.

The reason I would processed the jars first and them measure samples is
in case the pH drifted quite a bit when the natural juice cooked out of
the food and mixed with the cooking liquid.

Bob

in article , zxcvbob at
wrote on 7/10/04 10:07 AM:

rogers news wrote:
What is the best way to test the pH balance of a resulting recipe mixture
before canning since modifying a recipe ever so slightly can change the pH
balance of the end product?


Jason


I would open a sample jar (or 2 or 3) after they were canned and cooled
to room temperature, and test with narrow-range pH indicator paper. pH
meters are finicky and require careful calibration and storage of the
probes in distilled water, etc.

The reason I would processed the jars first and them measure samples is
in case the pH drifted quite a bit when the natural juice cooked out of
the food and mixed with the cooking liquid.

Bob
If you were going to do this wouldn't you have to make a slurry and test the
pH of that? after all, you would,I presume, be eating the food as well as
the liquid in which it sits.
Ellen
--

ellen wickberg wrote:
in article , zxcvbob at
wrote on 7/10/04 10:07 AM:


rogers news wrote:

What is the best way to test the pH balance of a resulting recipe mixture
before canning since modifying a recipe ever so slightly can change the pH
balance of the end product?


Jason


I would open a sample jar (or 2 or 3) after they were canned and cooled
to room temperature, and test with narrow-range pH indicator paper. pH
meters are finicky and require careful calibration and storage of the
probes in distilled water, etc.

The reason I would processed the jars first and them measure samples is
in case the pH drifted quite a bit when the natural juice cooked out of
the food and mixed with the cooking liquid.

Bob

If you were going to do this wouldn't you have to make a slurry and test the
pH of that? after all, you would,I presume, be eating the food as well as
the liquid in which it sits.
Ellen


I'm assuming that the pH will normalize during the processing and you'd
get essentially the same reading. If it was borderline, yes you would
probably need to liquify the sample rather than just using the juice.

IMHO, it's a lot easier to use a tested recipe, or use the pressure
canner even if the stuff might have been BWB'able.

Best regards,
Bob

water is a good acid solvent usually, ph meters are highly technical
instruments, addind or deleting sugar will affect water activity which also
affects botulism growth

water is a good acid solvent usually, ph meters are highly technical
instruments, addind or deleting sugar will affect water activity which also
affects botulism growth

BCHUKB wrote:

water is a good acid solvent usually, ph meters are highly technical
instruments, addind or deleting sugar will affect water activity which also
affects botulism growth

Can you explain this one a bit? I've been replacing sugar with Splenda in lots
of pickles and this might be a problem.
Edrena

in pickles low ph is the preservative not sugar most items preserved by sugar
won't work at all with splenda such as jams and jellys