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  • From: Chrys Ostrander <chrys AT thefutureisorganic.net>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Canning Question About Pectin
  • Date: Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Hi Folks,

Every year I make a lot of jam. I have apricots, plums and cherries. I just canned 40 pints of apricot jam and I'm not finished yet. Pomona brand low methoxyl (LM) pectin is what I use because it has no preservatives. Most pectins have preservatives, including sodium or potassium benzoate. Preservatives are what are known as biocides. As an organic farmer and consumer, I don't want biocides in my food. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_benzoate) "in combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C, E300), sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate may form benzene, a known carcinogen. Heat, light and shelf life can affect the rate at which benzene is formed." Seems like pectin is the last place you'd want to put any benzoates. No thanks!

But Pomona pectin seems way, way overpriced. It costs between $4.50 and $5.00 per ounce. I use three to four ounces per 2 1/2 gallon batch of jam. The cheapest price on-line for 1 lb. bulk Pomona is $47.95 (http://www.canningpantry.com/pounpe1lbbup.html). It's breaking my bank. I could buy "Gel-EZ Lite" LM pectin for $13.95 a pound (http://www.kitchenkrafts.com/product.asp?pn=IN1521), but I won't, since it's laced with preservatives. Gel-EZ Lite also has maltodextrin, a sugar, added so you must use twice as much to get the same jelling action, but it's still cheaper than Pomona at that rate. And with pectins like Gel-EZ Lite you add some non-organic highly processed sugar to your food which I'd also like to avoid. Also, Pomona pectin is made, just like its preservative-laden cousins, from the by-products of processing non-organic fruit. After a cursory search I found no source of organic pectin. Even if I did, I'm not sure I could afford it.

So, my question is: Where can I get pure LM pectin (no sugar, no preservatives) by the pound for less than Pomona brand? There's got to be a source. Anyone?

This message originated from or was forwarded by:
Chrys Ostrander
Chrysalis Farm @ Tolstoy
Organic Micro-permaculture
33495 Mill Canyon Rd.
Davenport, WA 99122
509-725-0610
chrys AT thefutureisorganic.net
http://www.thefutureisorganic.net

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  • [Market-farming] Canning Question About Pectin, Chrys Ostrander, 08/02/2009

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