After going to great lengths recently to source organic tinned tomatoes, I’ve been frustrated to read several reports over the last week about the levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) in the linings of steel cans. Apparently this is particularly concerning in high-acid foods such as tinned tomatoes.
So after buying the expensive organic stuff, perhaps the packaging is contaminating my family all over again!
I use quite an amazing amount of canned tomatoes/paste/puree. Other canned good I use a lot of are:
- Beans/chickpeas/lentils
- Coconut cream
- Baked beans/spaghetti
- Water chestnuts, bamboo shoots/straw mushrooms
- Condensed soup (oh, the shame – I promise I don’t use it in ‘casseroles’!)
I also sometimes buy other canned food like sauerkraut, pineapple, mandarin segments, mixed fruit.
So I am more seriously considering preserving my own produce, and if I can’t grow enough, then preserving things purchased in season if necessary. The problem is choosing a preserving system – it’s so confusing!
I’ve seen that the Fowlers Vacola system is very popular in Australia. Gav uses it, and there is a relative abundance of second-hand units on ebay, along with the preserving jars. I noticed that my local IGA even stocks some accessories.
The problem with this system is that it only works on high-acid and high-sugar foods like tomatoes and jams. If I want to preserve beans, then (I think) I would need a pressure canner – a completely different system.
Since the tomatoes are my main concern, I’m thinking that I should look out for an electric Fowlers Vacola unit and start from there. If I’m actually using the system consistently, then perhaps I can move on from there?
Do you use a preserving system? Do you have any words of wisdom for me?
500m2 in Sydney 