Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >, zxcvbob
> > wrote:
>
>>The USDA sanctioned recipes assume a worst-case scenario with low-acid
>>varieties and improper ripening. I wonder how important adding acid is
>>if you grow old-fashioned commerical canning varieties like Marglobe,
>>Rutgers, or any of the Campbell or Heinz numbered varieties (Heinz 1439,
>>etc.) I don't know if it matters or not, I'm just wondering.
>
>
>>Bob
>
>
> I think somewhere on the U of MN Extension Svc site is a list of some
> tomatoes that are low acid. For some reason, I have it in my mind that
> the info may even be in the FAQ file.


But I'm talking about planting old *high-acid* varieties. If the
acidity guidlines have changed because tomatoes have changed, what if
you use 80 year old canning varieties? (I think you probably still need
to add the acid, and "changes in tomatoes" are just speculation.) The
reason I think this is because Heinz and Hunts do not grow low-acid
varieties, and they still add citric acid to their canned tomatoes.

The logic is backwards, but my conclusion is you should add citric acid
or lemon juice no matter what varieties you use if you process your
tomatoes in a boiling water bath.

Now here's something really weird and contradictory: University of
Minnesota something they call "Minnesota Tomato Mixture" that is
tomatoes with a little onion, peppers, and celery, *without any acid*
and it's processed in a BWB.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...on/DJ1097.html

I don't know what to make of it, but since I always process my tomatoes
in a pressure canner it doesn't matter.

Bob