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Ball Brand Home Canning Products... Lids - Jarden Home products
Ball Brand Home Canning Products... Lids - Jarden Home products
You may remember my first post about the Ball Brand Canning Lids. I have had several emails with a representative that works with Jarden Home Brands, makers of the Ball brand home canning products and am going to share the "Official" information that I was given in this post today....
My thoughts:
I know you lifetime home canners, like myself have done things that we were told to do like pre warming the canning lids so they would seal better. My Grandmother used to boil her lids because they were told to do that back then to sterilize the lids before use. I have always simmered mine in warm water to get the seal and in the last two years had losses from seal failure...changes have made a difference and it is not you nor I that are confused. We rate from experience and that is how we do things....
Notices should have been placed on the products the entire world is not on the internet.
Notices should have been placed on the products the entire world is not on the internet.
I learned the following from numerous emails to find out more about the new canning procedures. Basically what I learned was this.
IMPORTANT! Last but not least I asked what is the product that they coat the lids with and is it affected by heating and would it be harmful if it washed away. I will share what was told to me.
"We are unable to share this information. We can state this coating is compliant with FDA regulation for resinous and polymeric coatings, for products and processes. Heating in accordance with our guidelines will not cause removal of the coating as it is safe to withstand all tested and approved home canning processes."
Guess we won't know what the BPA-Free Coating is. I for one would like to know what it is!
Today I give you the "Official" Information for Ball/Kerr Brand Home Canning Products.
Jarden Home Brands’ Canning Lid Protocol
At Jarden Home Brands, we strive to make the home canning process as easy as possible. We understand there is some confusion on the best practices for using our Ball and Kerr brand home canning lids and sincerely apologize for any miscommunication on the process via our website or packaging.
After extensive testing by our Quality Assurance Team, we determined that it is no longer necessary to pre-warm lids before use. If you desire, it is still safe to simmer your lids before use, however, you should never boil them. Our recommendation for over 40 years has always been to simmer (180°F), not boil (212°F), the lids.
Removing the simmering step was designed to make the home canning process easier than ever, speeding up the time it takes to preserve your favorite fresh, local produce. This is entirely unrelated to the BPA-free coating change in our lids. That change was made to the underside coating and did not impact the sealing compound. After extensive testing from our quality assurance team, Jarden Home Brands’ current recommendation is to prep lids by washing with warm, soapy water and keep at room temperature until ready for preserving. Pre-sterilizing jars and lids is not necessary in the home canning process. If you are following a recipe that processes for 10 minutes or more, the sterilization will occur during that time. Pre-warming is also not needed to “soften” the lid’s seal. We changed from using Latex (which needed to be softened) to Plastisol (which does not need to be softened) for our sealing compound in 1969 and have been using it ever since. There are two other important things to know about lids. First, we recommend using only Ball/Kerr brand lids. They are BPA free, and offer the safest, most reliable results of any lid on the market. The second is never use a lid twice for the home canning process. After the first use, the lid will no longer seal effectively, so a fresh lid must be used every time. Any seal failures are likely unrelated to the updates in the Ball or Kerr canning lids as the sealing compound has remained, essentially, the same since 1969. If you are experiencing seal failure, please visit our Problem Solver page on FreshPreserving.com to explore possible solutions: http://www.freshpreserving.com/tools/preserving-solver.
We understand there are some inconsistencies in our current recommendations and what is printed in previous editions of the Ball Blue Book. Jarden Home Brands has already announced these changes to the public via its website, www.FreshPreserving.com, live webcasts and canning demonstrations as well as through updated packaging changes and on social media.
We understand that many of our consumers are experienced canners who no longer seek instructional updates, but it’s always important to ensure that you’re following not only the USDA’s most up-to-date recommendations, but also those of the manufacture. We are trying to communicate the change with as many preservers as possible.
We sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused
It’s important to note that the BPA change was made to the coating on our lids and never impacted the sealing compound which always has been and remains BPA-free.
Of course, any modern Ball® and Kerr® canning lids purchased prior to this innovation are safe when used and stored correctly. Do keep in mind that our Ball® and Kerr® lids are made for one-time canning use only. We do also encourage consumers to rotate their inventory of lids each year as a best practice for safety. Safety and quality are of the highest importance to us, and we test products extensively to ensure anything we market is proven safe.
To determine if a lid is BPA-free, check its packaging for a “BPA Free” banner and/or an American flag on the front. The BPA-free lids also include the words “Made in USA” on the surface of the lid.
The most recent update that I can find from the USDA Home Canning was from 2009 here
I want to thank Theresa Roe who is the Co-Executive TV Producer and the On-Air Canning/Homesteading Expert for the national PBS gardening TV series, Growing A Greener World. She is a lifetime canner and a graduate of the Master Food Preserver Program.
Be sure to visit her blog Living Homegrown and her posts about these Ball Brand Home Canning Lids here
The Official Information was provided by Kelsey Revens Account Executive Jarden Home Brands
THIS JUST IN FROM THE WASHINGTON POST DATED SEPTEMBER 25TH...SHARING WITH YOU NOW 9/29/2014 I just saw and wanted to share...They are getting the word out there and I'll help by sharing...hit link HERE to read
- The lids can't be boiled if you do boil them, they will not perform well.
- You can simmer them but they don't have to be simmered.
- You can basically hand wash, dry and lay out on the counter until use.
- You must can in water bath or pressure canner for at least 10 minutes to sterilize the lids. Since the lids will be on the jars the sealant will be going onto the jar.
IMPORTANT! Last but not least I asked what is the product that they coat the lids with and is it affected by heating and would it be harmful if it washed away. I will share what was told to me.
"We are unable to share this information. We can state this coating is compliant with FDA regulation for resinous and polymeric coatings, for products and processes. Heating in accordance with our guidelines will not cause removal of the coating as it is safe to withstand all tested and approved home canning processes."
Guess we won't know what the BPA-Free Coating is. I for one would like to know what it is!
Today I give you the "Official" Information for Ball/Kerr Brand Home Canning Products.
Jarden Home Brands’ Canning Lid Protocol
At Jarden Home Brands, we strive to make the home canning process as easy as possible. We understand there is some confusion on the best practices for using our Ball and Kerr brand home canning lids and sincerely apologize for any miscommunication on the process via our website or packaging.
After extensive testing by our Quality Assurance Team, we determined that it is no longer necessary to pre-warm lids before use. If you desire, it is still safe to simmer your lids before use, however, you should never boil them. Our recommendation for over 40 years has always been to simmer (180°F), not boil (212°F), the lids.
Removing the simmering step was designed to make the home canning process easier than ever, speeding up the time it takes to preserve your favorite fresh, local produce. This is entirely unrelated to the BPA-free coating change in our lids. That change was made to the underside coating and did not impact the sealing compound. After extensive testing from our quality assurance team, Jarden Home Brands’ current recommendation is to prep lids by washing with warm, soapy water and keep at room temperature until ready for preserving. Pre-sterilizing jars and lids is not necessary in the home canning process. If you are following a recipe that processes for 10 minutes or more, the sterilization will occur during that time. Pre-warming is also not needed to “soften” the lid’s seal. We changed from using Latex (which needed to be softened) to Plastisol (which does not need to be softened) for our sealing compound in 1969 and have been using it ever since. There are two other important things to know about lids. First, we recommend using only Ball/Kerr brand lids. They are BPA free, and offer the safest, most reliable results of any lid on the market. The second is never use a lid twice for the home canning process. After the first use, the lid will no longer seal effectively, so a fresh lid must be used every time. Any seal failures are likely unrelated to the updates in the Ball or Kerr canning lids as the sealing compound has remained, essentially, the same since 1969. If you are experiencing seal failure, please visit our Problem Solver page on FreshPreserving.com to explore possible solutions: http://www.freshpreserving.com/tools/preserving-solver.
We understand there are some inconsistencies in our current recommendations and what is printed in previous editions of the Ball Blue Book. Jarden Home Brands has already announced these changes to the public via its website, www.FreshPreserving.com, live webcasts and canning demonstrations as well as through updated packaging changes and on social media.
We understand that many of our consumers are experienced canners who no longer seek instructional updates, but it’s always important to ensure that you’re following not only the USDA’s most up-to-date recommendations, but also those of the manufacture. We are trying to communicate the change with as many preservers as possible.
We sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused
Jarden Home Brands’ BPA-Free Canning Lids
At Jarden Home Brands, we pride ourselves on listening to our consumers’ feedback. Consumer concern over BPA inspired our decision to explore new materials for Ball® and Kerr® canning lids, though the lids prior to this change are still deemed safe for use by the FDA and USDA. Currently, Ball® and Kerr® are the only 100% BPA-free and American-made two-piece vacuum lids on the market. It is always recommended to use this type of canning lid in home preserving.It’s important to note that the BPA change was made to the coating on our lids and never impacted the sealing compound which always has been and remains BPA-free.
Of course, any modern Ball® and Kerr® canning lids purchased prior to this innovation are safe when used and stored correctly. Do keep in mind that our Ball® and Kerr® lids are made for one-time canning use only. We do also encourage consumers to rotate their inventory of lids each year as a best practice for safety. Safety and quality are of the highest importance to us, and we test products extensively to ensure anything we market is proven safe.
To determine if a lid is BPA-free, check its packaging for a “BPA Free” banner and/or an American flag on the front. The BPA-free lids also include the words “Made in USA” on the surface of the lid.
The most recent update that I can find from the USDA Home Canning was from 2009 here
- I will update you all later as to how well the no simmering of the lids works on my canning for this year. I still think they should mark the packaging of this product to let all know.
- I will continue sterilizing my jars for safety sake!
- If I have seal failures from not heating the lids I will share that info as well.
- If you missed my first post BEWARE: DO NOT OVERHEAT THE BALL BRAND CANNING LIDS...you can see it here
I want to thank Theresa Roe who is the Co-Executive TV Producer and the On-Air Canning/Homesteading Expert for the national PBS gardening TV series, Growing A Greener World. She is a lifetime canner and a graduate of the Master Food Preserver Program.
Be sure to visit her blog Living Homegrown and her posts about these Ball Brand Home Canning Lids here
The Official Information was provided by Kelsey Revens Account Executive Jarden Home Brands
THIS JUST IN FROM THE WASHINGTON POST DATED SEPTEMBER 25TH...SHARING WITH YOU NOW 9/29/2014 I just saw and wanted to share...They are getting the word out there and I'll help by sharing...hit link HERE to read