| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Lid | A flat metal disc with a flanged edge lined with sealing compound used in combination with a metal screw band for vacuum-sealing fresh preserving jars.
|
| Lime | See pickling lime.
|
| Long-Boil Soft Spread | A sugar and fruit mixture boiled to concentrate fruit's natural pectin and evaporate moisture until a thick or gelled texture is achieved. Long boiling works best with fruits containing naturally high pectin levels. It yields smaller quantities per amount of fruit used and creates a caramelized fruit flavor. It may require a smaller measure of sugar as an ingredient, but the final cooked-down product isn't necessarily lower in sugar than other products.
|
| Low-Acid Food | A food that contains little natural acid and has a pH higher than 4.6. Vegetables, meat, poultry and seafood are all low-acid foods. Bacteria thrive in low-acid foods. The only recommended and practical means of destroying bacteria naturally found in low-acid foods is to heat the food to 240F (116C) (at sea level) for a specified time in a pressure canner.
|
| Low-Methoxyl Pectin | A type of pectin that does not require the presence of sugar to produce a gel when making jams and jellies. No sugar needed fruit pectins are usually low-methoxyl.
|
| Marmalade | A soft spread that contains pieces of citrus fruit and peel evenly suspended in transparent jelly. Marmalade is cooked in small batches and brought rapidly to, or almost to, the gelling point. Marmalades are similar in structure to jam.
|
| Mason Jar | A glass jar that is suitable for heat processing food and/or liquids using a boiling water canner or a pressure canner. Mason jars are designed to seal with two-piece metal closures and to withstand the temperatures and reuse associated with fresh preserving. True mason jars also conform to specific shapes and capacities compatible with established safe heat processing methods and times. The jars are available in regular mouth (70 mm) and wide mouth (86 mm) styles and in capacities ranging from 4 ounces (125 mL) to 1 quart (1 L). Most mason jars have rounded shoulders, but some have straight walls. Straight-walled mason jars can be used for freezing as well as fresh preserving. See also straight walls.
|
| Measures Or Measuring Cups | Standard kitchen utensils used to accurately measure liquid or dry ingredients. Liquid measures are commonly glass or plastic and have a handle and a pour spout. Dry measures can be either stainless steel or plastic. Both types are available in imperial (cups) and metric (mL) sizes.
|
| Metal Band | See screw band.
|
| Microorganism | A living plant or animal of microscopic size, such as molds, yeasts or bacteria, that can cause spoilage in preserved or frozen foods.
|
| Ml (Milliliter) | A metric unit of volume, 1/1000th of a liter. Measures for dry ingredients are available in 1, 2, 5 and 25 mL spoons and 50, 125 and 250 mL dry measures. Metric liquid measures, usually glass or plastic, show levels for quantities divisible by 10.
|
| Mycotoxins | Toxins (poisons) produced by some species of molds that grow on high-acid foods.
|
| Open-Kettle Canning/Preserving | A fresh preserving method in which hot foods are ladled into jars and two-piece closures are applied. Since no heat processing takes place, this method is not recommended.
|
| Oven Canning/Preserving | A fresh preserving method in which jars are placed in the oven and heated. This method is not recommended.
|
| Overnight | A period of time from 8 to 12 hours.
|