Frugal Kitchens 101 - Canning Safety Tips

Home canning is a wonderful art as well as being a science.  It does however, require a heightened degree of safety awareness that isn't as important for normal day to day cooking because you are using equipment that has the potential to cause a higher degree of physical harm.

• never can when you are tired - The busy canning season here runs from early June to early October.  Produce can come it at such a rate that it is overwhelming.  You can become both physically and mentally tired just trying to deal with it.  The problem is when you are tired you make mistakes that can be not only a safety hazard but end up in food wastage with all your canning efforts wasted.  Enlist some help, take a break and realize Rome wasn't built in a day so neither will your pantry.
• never can under the influence - Many take being under the influence to mean having consumed alcohol but that is simply not the case.  Antihistamines, cold medications, OTC pain killers and a whole host of medications prescriptions or otherwise can actually cause you to not think clearly.  This is not the time to be home canning.  If you must be on a drug that can affect your judgement or co-ordination, postpone home canning until you do not need the drug.
• don't can when you are rushed - I know I can run a batch of jam in 20 minutes but that can easily stretch out to 40 minutes.  The cardinal rule is you don't can if you can't comfortably finish that canning session without rushing.  Rushing causes you to make mistakes that result in safety issues as well as food spoilage.
• don't can when you are sick - There is an old wives tale that you should never can during your mense as it causes food to spoil.  The real reason for not canning then is you simply don't feel well, you are tired and you will make mistakes that can result in food spoilage and/or personal harm.
• don't can with pets or children underfoot - The general advice is to not can if children or pets are in the kitchen.  For many Moms this is not practical advice for children but easier for pet.  Instead, create a safe zone for the kids in the kitchen where they will not be underfoot.  Banish pets to another room until you are finished canning.