Department 4N - Food Preservation

Department 4N – Food Preservation

1. General Rules & Regulations

1. The lids of all exhibit jars must be rust free.

2. Exhibit may be opened for judging.

3. Jars that become unsealed during the fair will be discarded and the premium forfeited.

4. All canned and preserved products must be exhibited in clean, clear standard canning jars, quart or pint size and jellies in half pint/pint glasses with screw band lid.

5. Food coloring may not be added to canned products.

6. No jar may be exhibited more than once.

7. Soft spread definitions:

1. Jelly – made from strained fruit juice and sugar cooked together.  Jelly is crystal clear and shimmering: firm enough to hold its shape outside the jar, yet soft enough to spread easily.

2. Jam – Made by cooking crushed or chopped fruit with sugar.  Jams can be made from one fruit or a combination of fruits.  They should be firm but spread easily; jams do not hold the shape of the jar.

3. Butter – made by cooking fruit pulp and sugar to a thick consistency that will spread easily. Spices may be added.

4. Preserves – made by cooking fruit and sugar so that the fruit retains its shape, is clear, shiny, tender, and plump.  The syrup is clear and varies from the thickness of honey to that of soft jelly.

5. Conserves – jam-like products made by cooking two or more fruits with sugar.  A true conserve contains raisins and nuts.

6. Marmalades – soft-fruit jellies containing small pieces of fruit and citrus peel evenly suspended in the transparent jelly.  They are similar in structure to jams.