Comments on Family Feedbag: Testing home canning with the LAQUAtwin pH meter

Hi Amy, I know this thread is older but I found yo...

2016-09-29T21:05:37.486-07:00

Hi Amy,
I know this thread is older but I found your post yesterday while doing research on pH meters. You have a nice blog! I’ve been water bath canning for 2 years but I'm still new since I've only done it a few times. For high acid canning, I use only tested recipes and I follow the recipes exactly as written and make sure everything is clean. If I want to adjust anything like spices, I usually contact the author to confirm that it’s safe, I also refer to the National Center for Home Preservation or Ball website. I've only canned high acid foods like fruit jams, BBQ sauce and tomato sauce with lemon juice or citric acid. I own a Presto pressure canner but haven’t used it yet, I could use more practice with the water bath. I’m an organic gardener and I preserve our harvest by freezing or dehydrating with my dehydrator. Ive been interested in canning mostly jams, sauces, chutneys or salsas. Since I’ve been canning more often this past summer and hoping to give them as gifts to family, I’m also anxious. I have little kids, I’m worried about what I feed my family and what I give to others.

Although I've done many research about canning, high acid, low acid and botulism, I still need a peace of mind. I grow plenty of tomatoes and I was thinking about investing in a pH meter to make sure that what I’m canning is safe. I don’t plan to develop my own recipes, I only want it for reassurance. I was about to add a pH meter on my Christmas wish list but then I saw your post.

Can you tell me how accurate the LAQUAtwin meter is, how easy to use and were you happy with the results? Have you used it with distilled water for making a slurry when testing chunky food? Did you test the pH before canning or 24 hours after canning? I learned that pH changes over time but we only plan to consume canned foods within a year. I saw LAQUAtwin on Ebay in great condition which was used only once and it was the best price I could find. I was going to put Oakton pH meter on my wish list https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NG2PNKQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3VDA6Y3WQIEJU&coliid=IGHWDOBBB9GA4
based on a review I read from a canning website because of how accurate it is. The meter has to be calibrated with the buffer calibration solution. Does the LAQUAtwin need solution such as this kit
https://https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BUV7L96/ref=s9_simh_gw_g328_i2_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=JAH34GMHS4J9WTRP83WM&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=44a271bd-9c99-42ac-8f0d-a97d9370c01e&pf_rd_i=desktop
I don’t want something complicated to use. I appreciate your thoughts and help. Thanks for your time! :-)

It says in the post that I asked the company if I ...

2015-04-29T10:28:34.527-07:00

It says in the post that I asked the company if I could try the product and they sent me one. I was pretty clear about that. It also says in the disclosure that I was not paid to write a review, and that my opinions are my own.

Bloggers in Canada are not legally obligated to include a disclosure. However, I do it anyway.

If the company sent this product for free that wou...

2015-04-29T10:00:20.715-07:00

If the company sent this product for free that would be good to include in the disclosure, especially if it was done with the understanding that a review would be written. I enjoy bloggers that post disclosures but they must be complete for them to be useful.

:) You should definitely set up an amazon affiliat...

2014-07-28T11:50:06.266-07:00

:) You should definitely set up an amazon affiliates account and put a link to the product on amazon in this blog entry. I found this blog entry while google searching "home canning ph meter review." Your blog and a whole bunch of forum posts are the only things that come up. Of those, your blog is the only one that has a well thought out, reputable-seeming review.

Just on that alone you would definitely make some decent affiliate $$ just from people clicking through this post and going to buy the meter on amazon! Then if you optimized your meta data keywords so that search terms for home canning and ph meter reviews brought people in here, well, even better.

LOL, I know you're probably thinking, "who is this money grubbing weirdo and why is she commenting on my blog?!" I do web marketing/internet advertising/affiliate stuff for a living. Just chiming in with my expertise in an attempt to thank you for giving your expertise out for free! ...and seriously, you're one of the VERY FEW people who has reviewed a food pH meter for home canning. I've been looking. A lot.

Good to know. Yes, I generally only swap around sp...

2014-02-17T19:55:51.437-08:00

Good to know. Yes, I generally only swap around spices/vinegars or add more acid (by adding lime juice for example). I'm looking forward to your book :)

Thanks, Amy!

2014-02-15T22:21:58.356-08:00

Thanks, Amy!

Okay, you can purchase one on Amazon (type B-713 o...

2014-02-14T07:40:40.310-08:00

Okay, you can purchase one on Amazon (type B-713 or 3200456563 in the search block to find it), or VWR Canada also sells the meters.

Yes, Josée, the pH of home canned foods can change...

2014-02-13T21:40:04.589-08:00

Yes, Josée, the pH of home canned foods can change over time. That's one of the reasons processed jars shouldn't be stored longer than one year. Food density and water content also play a part in safe pH. For example, the water content of whole pickling cucumbers will mix into the brine, increasing the pH. That's why brines are so acidic, to account for that happening. Certainly, playing around with canning recipes should be done with care. The safest way to do it is by swapping in different spices or different vinegars (always 5% acetic acid or higher). And with a pH meter in your pocket you could certainly test at different stages of storage.

I would love to try this out. I find myself wantin...

2014-02-13T21:11:47.862-08:00

I would love to try this out. I find myself wanting to experiment more when it comes to home canning but I'm always wary about pH. Do you if the pH of canned foods change after processing? Just wondering if that would be another thing to keep in mind while testing pH.

I haven't seen one of these around Victoria ye...

2014-02-13T20:36:13.326-08:00

I haven't seen one of these around Victoria yet, but I will check with the manufacturer (the woman I've been dealing with is very helpful). You can definitely order them online, if you're interested in that option. Cole-Parmer is one company in Canada that has them, and there are several in the U.S. that will ship to Canada. I'll get back to you...

I would love something like this. I like to play w...

2014-02-13T20:20:33.844-08:00

I would love something like this. I like to play with my recipes and would do so even more if I knew I could test their pH. I had no idea how to do this at home. Do you know where one can buy these in Victoria?