How Safe is Your Salsa?

When a scientifically tested recipe is followed, and correct canning procedures are used, home canned salsa is safe. Many times Extension Educators are asked how to can a fresh salsa that is someone's favorite creation. This becomes a problem when there is no research to support the proportion of ingredients and its acidity or process times for canning their special salsa. In these situations, all we can do is recommend they enjoy their salsa fresh or freeze it for longer-term storage.

Let's look at some of the issues in canning salsa when using your own created recipe or a recipe from one of the many internet blogs. Kathy Savoie and Jen Perry (2019, August 28), from the University of Maine, in their study “Adherence of Food Blog Salsa Recipes to Home Canning Guidelines," examined 56 recipes for home canning of salsa and found that 70 percent of the recipes did not include USDA home canning guidelines for acidification, thermal processing, contaminants, and vacuum sealing.

Consider these questions when canning salsa

• Does your recipe contain sufficient acid in the form of bottled lemon or lime juice or vinegar to account for the volume of low acid vegetables used? The benchmark recipe in the research study used 2.33 tablespoons of acidification per cup of peppers and onion.  Inadequate acidification may lead to a product with a pH above 4.6, which could allow the bacterial spores that cause botulism to geminate.
• Have you made adjustments in altitude for processing if necessary? Many areas in central, western, and northern Pennsylvania are above 1,000 feet which means you need to increase processing time.
• Do you practice cleanliness in the kitchen area? Do you wash your hands before starting?
• Do you use mason-style jars with two-piece lids and wash both?
• Do you warm jars before filling?
• Do you use good quality produce that has been washed and tomato skins removed?
• Do you cut or chop produce to the size specified in the recipe? The size of pieces influences heat penetration and process time.
• Do you avoid substitution of salsa ingredients unless it is a safe substitution? You can alter dried spices and herbs and substitute bottled lemon or lime juice for vinegar, but you cannot substitute vinegar for bottled lemon or lime juice.
• Do you follow the amounts of ingredients specified in the recipe? Do not increase the volume of low acid foods (peppers/onions) or add other ingredients such as corn or beans. Do not add the leftover portion of the onion or pepper to avoid waste. That could be just the amount of low acid food that lowers the acidity to a dangerous level.
• Do you avoid the use of thickeners before canning the salsa? You can thicken the salsa when you are ready to serve it if desired.
• Do you avoid draining juice from the tomatoes before canning the salsa? If you want to drain the juice, wait until you open the jar to serve the salsa. You need the liquid to control the acidity.
• Is the salsa hot when you fill the jars?
• Do you remember to remove air bubbles before applying the lid?
• Do you allow ½ inch headspace? Proper headspace helps to create a strong vacuum seal.
• Do you start counting processing time only after a rolling boil is achieved after the jars are added to the canner?
• Do you use research tested recipes from the Penn State Extension's Let's Preserve Tomatoes, USDA, Extension websites, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, or the book So Easy to Preserve? Do not create your own recipe for canning salsa.

If you answered “yes" to the above questions, you are on the road to creating a tasty and healthy homemade salsa that can be enjoyed year round.

References

Perry, J. & Savoie, K. (2019). Adherence of Food Blog Salsa Recipes to Home Canning Guidelines. Food Protection Trends. 39(5), p.377-386. Retrieved August 19, 2021.

Savoie, K. (2019, August 28). Study finds online salsa recipes for home canning lacking food safety standards. University of Maine.