- Processing Food -

Canning

Canning involves heating food in a closed container to ensure that the micro-organisms present in the raw food can no longer cause deterioration of the food or be hazardous to health. The amount of the heating depends on the type of food. Nutrient losses occur from destruction during heating and storage stages. Some nutrients, such as water-soluble vitamins and minerals, may dissolve in the water in the can, but they are lost only if this liquid is not consumed. We can reduce losses of vitamins during storage by storing the cans in a cool place.

Nutrient losses resulting from canning are generally greater than those for the same food when prepared from the fresh state in the home. However, this must be balanced against the convenience of having foods available at all times of the year no matter where we live or what the season.