North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jim Fruth <jfruth@uslink.net>]

    I should mention that we have a commercial food processing license and
are regularly inspected by the USDA.  Something most folks wouldn't know is
that, by law, we are required to have our products contain 65% sugar or we
wouldn't be allowed to use the words "jelly," "jam" or "preserves."  To that
law, it is added that jelly, jams and preserves must have a pH of 4.6 or
lower.  Fruits whose jelly, jam or preserves, result in a product of higher
than a pH of 4.6 must be acidified; we use citric acid for that purpose.  If
manufactured under these guidelines, no further preservative is needed.
    Some might say that the federal government is sticking their nose where
it doesn't belong, perhaps pressured by sugar companies, but not so.  Anyone
with a background in bacteriology should be able to tell you that, with that
much sugar and that low of a pH, Costridium botulinus, the source of
botulism poisoning, and E. coli cannot grow in it.  We have a refractometer
and pH meter that we use to test every batch before it get bottled.  Worthy
of mention is that, if anyone accidentally, or purposefully. introduces
either bacterium into a jelly, if it grows, it is the manufacturer's fault.
-- 

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN
www.bberryfarm.com
Jams, Jellies and Syrups
(218)568-8483 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My cell]

Stephen,

Cape gooseberry (from recent experience): very sweet tasting/sapid,
basically if you have a sweet tooth then you would wiley's for this

Ground cherry on the other hand is more down to earth, syrupy, easy to
spread in your mouth taste. (more of a favorite)

Bon apetit
On 7/6/06, Stephen Sadler <Docshiva@docshiva.org> wrote:
> Jim,
>
> What's the difference in flavor between cape gooseberry and groundcherry
> jams?
>
> Stephen