Carrie TZ

Thanks for the advice. I'll see if I can get a hold of those discovery channel programs. Meanwhile I'll stick with high acid foods.

I've looked at just the cover of the book you mentioned, but this looks like its for HUGE commercial processing. I want to make small batches for my tiny shop, of 100-200 bottle runs. If I could use a pressure canner to process the products, I would, but I don't know if this works for the commercial bottles with metel lids. Any ideas on how I might do this affordably?

I'll check the book out... and Amazon ships to Tanzania! Yippy

Thanks Emily for the quick response. The machine that puts the lids on the bottles is just a conveyor belt with a large piece that comes down and attaches the lid. So, the product isn't in a heated space from the looks of it. I've asked the company in China and they don't care to respond... they just want to sell their machines. Also, what about things like salad dressing? wouldn't the heat destroy the product?

Are there any more answers to this topic since 2006? I saw the opening question posted by digigirl the other day when I was doing a google search looking for the same answer! And still, I've found nothing! I've read all the posts about acidity etc. but, I'm curious what commercial processors do to can things like lemon curd and salad dressing and other such foods. I have a small green grocer in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and I want to start offering items such as these to my customers. I've found the automatic lid-sealing machines sold from China, but, I still don't "get" what is done to make the ingredients safe. Just buying the commercial bottles and lids and a machine won't help me with the process. Most processed items here of high quality are imported! Can anyone help? Thanks