Canning vs. freezing: differences?

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Canning and freezing are two methods of food preservation. Canning involves sterilized glass jars and hot water, while freezing involves freezer-safe containers. Canning has a longer shelf life, but freezing is quicker. Home canning uses the same method invented by Nicolas Appert, while flash freezing was invented by Clarence Birdseye. The choice between canning and freezing depends on the type of food and duration of storage. Canned foods retain flavor, while frozen foods may deteriorate over time.

Canning and freezing are two different methods of food preservation, the difference lies in the process in which foods are preserved for future use. Blanching involves the use of preserving jars, which are usually stored in a cool, dry place, while frozen foods are placed in freezer-safe containers and stored in the freezer. Canning and freezing are both acceptable methods of preserving home foods. Canning is a more viable choice since foods generally have a longer shelf life and do not spoil during a power outage, while freezing is a preferred choice over canning due to the amount of time and stages involved in the canning process.

Home canning has been a method of preserving food for over a century. Invented by French inventor Nicolas Appert, preserving food in the early 1800s was a complex process to perfect. Appert’s canning method was a process of bottling foods in glass bottles which were then sealed with corks and sealing wax. Shortly after Appert’s invention, Peter Durand developed the method of preserving food in metal cans.

Home tanning today uses the same method Appert invented, as foods are placed in sterilized glass jars and immersed in hot water. Only certain types of foods can be preserved using this approach, often referred to as double boiler canning. For low-acid foods such as meat, the recommended method is pressure canning.

Clarence Birdseye is credited with inventing flash freezing, the technique in which most foods are stored at home today. Although the food freezing process was used before Birdseye’s method, the way it froze foods removed some of the problems that had occurred during the previous methods. Birdeye’s technique involved “quick” freezing and pre-packaging foods, eliminating the problem of ice crystal formation. Freezing food in the modern kitchen involves placing fresh foods in freezer-safe containers and placing them in the freezer. Proper packaging is key to preventing deterioration in food quality during storage, as damage commonly known as ‘freezer burn’ can occur when food comes into contact with the air circulating in the freezer.

The choice between canning and freezing often depends on the type of food to be preserved and the duration of storage. Typically, foods such as cooked meats can be kept in the freezer for two to three months, while properly canned meats keep for two or more years. Canning and freezing also differ in the long-term quality of foods after storage. The flavor of foods may deteriorate the longer they are frozen; however, canned foods often retain the same flavors throughout their shelf life.




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