North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@tds.net>]

Neil Hochstedler asked, "Jim, I'm curious as to how you test pH. With 
berries, I don't worry about it, but I'd like to venture further into 
initially low acidity concoctions with confidence."

   Unlike the pH meter with a metal probe that many are familiar with for 
testing garden soils, ours has a glass bulb that gets immersed into the 
(cooled) jelly.  We paid about $35.00 for it and it looks sort of like the 
first one pictured on this list:
http://www.google.com/products?q=%22pH+meters%22 .
   When we need to acidify anything, we use citric acid.  BTW, the law here 
in Minnesota states that in order for jelly, jam and preserves, to be 
legally sold in Minnesota, it must have a pH of 4.6 or lower.  Also, there 
are some berries, rose hips, et.al., that have a higher than legal pH.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies, syrups and more:
www.jellygal.com
1-877-265-6856 (Toll Free)
1-218-831-7018 (My Cell)