Canning - Storing Canned Foods

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If lids are tightly vacuum sealed on cooled jars, remove screw bands. Label and date the jars and store them in a clean, cool dark, dry place. Do not store jars above 95 degrees Fahrenheit or near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, in an uninsulated attic, or in direct sunlight. Under these conditions, food will lose quality in a few weeks or months and may spoil. Dampness may corrode metal lids, breaks seals, and allow recontamination and spoilage.

Food that has been properly canned will keep indefinitely, but after a year, some chemical changes do occur. These changes may affect the flavor, color, texture and nutritional value of the canned product. It is recommended that you keep home canned produce no longer than one year.

Source: USDA Complete Guide To Home Canning

Also see:

• University of Missouri Extension guide Quality for Keeps — Before You Start to Can, Learn the Basics
• University of Missouri Extension guide Quality for Keeps: Food Preservation — Steps to Success in Home Canning

Susan Mills-Gray, Mills-GrayS@missouri.edu
Regional Specialist, Nutrition and Health Education
Cass County, Missouri
University of Missouri Extension