Q: About two months ago I canned lemon juice from a recipe that called for 1 quart lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Fruit Fresh and sugar to taste. I processed it for 5 minutes and then put it into 1/2 pint jars. The juice has now turned brown. Is it OK to use?
A: The juice is probably fine since a natural browning will occur due to oxidation in even the commercial lemon juice. Tinted glass is used to hide this color. If the juice is very dark or has any off smell or taste do not use it.
When you process the juice, make sure the acidic juice does not come into contact with reactive metal.
You may want to process the juice in the glass jars. Also make sure that the lids you use are nonreactive.
Q: I bake my own bread and would like to know if there are any preservatives I can add to prevent the bread from molding.
A: I consulted baker Bill Himmelrich of Baltimore's own Stonemill Bakery. Bill makes only natural, very flavorful breads and suggests the best way to extend the life and moistness of a loaf of bread is to decrease the yeast by half and double the rising time. The decreased yeast should help reduce mold growth while keeping the bread moister longer.
Q: A friend gave me a gallon of pure maple syrup and I would like to package it in smaller pint jars so that it doesn't spoil. Should I boil it to pasteurize it?
A: Lynn Reynolds, executive director of the International Maple Syrup Institute, said that the maple syrup should be heated just to the boiling point (but do not boil) to kill any germs that could cause the growth of mold. Pour the hot syrup into sterilized jars and seal tightly. Then turn the jars upside down so that the air left in the jar will travel through the hot syrup and also be sterilized. The syrup now does not need to be refrigerated.
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