We have had several people ask about why the fruit that they are canning floats in the jars. Floating fruit doesn’t affect the taste or the safety of the fruit just the appearance. There are several reasons why this may happen.
To limit the floating fruit:
- Can fruit using a hot pack where the fruit is heated before adding to the jar. This is especially true for peaches and pears.
- Use light or medium syrup instead of heavy syrup.
- Pack the fruit as closely as possible without crushing it in the jars. Heating drives the oxygen from the tissues of the fruit so if the jars are loosely packed the fruit will tend to float.
- Be sure to use the correct time and processing method for the fruit you are preserving. Over processing destroys the cell structure and makes the fruit lighter.
If you have a question about processing times and methods for the fruit you want to preserve give us a call at AnswerLine!
