August is a great month for preserving summer-fresh produce to enjoy later in the year. Whether you’ve been stocking up on berries, tomatoes, corn or cucumbers for canning or freezing, here are a few reminders to keep your home preservation experience food safe while maximizing the nutritional value:

• Choose fresh, high quality produce for canning and freezing
• Use clean jars, new freezer bags and other supplies
• Ensure you are using recipes that follow current food safety standards
• Ensure your preparation area, hands and utensils are clean and you have all the necessary supplies ready to go before starting
• Always cool vegetables quickly after blanching to stop cooking and minimize loss of nutrients
• Properly drain vegetables before freezing to minimize the formation of ice crystals later on
• Canning of low acid foods requires the use of a pressure cooker to achieve commercial sterility
• Follow directions carefully if using a pressure cooker
• If you discover an unsealed canned jar within 24 hours of processing, the food can safely be re-canned using a new, treated jar and the same original processing time
• Properly canned food will keep safely for up to 1 year when stored in a cool, dry place. Frozen food is best used within a 6 month period

The number one cause of food poisoning is poor food handling. By ensuring you have followed a safe food preservation process, you can enjoy summer-ripe produce without worry throughout the coming months.