Page 34 - Horticulture Practical Guide

ANNEXURE-I

Main Points to be Considered

In Jam Making

1. High concentration of sugar (68 B) facilitates preservation.

2. The proportion in which sugar is added depends not only on the fruit, but also on
its acidity and degree of ripeness.

3. Addition of acids to fruits, de icient in it, is a necessity because appropriate
combination of pectin, sugar and acid is essential to give a 'set' to the Jam citric
acid should be added after half cooking of pulp with sugar not in starting.

4. Only permitted edible food colours should be used, if necessary and these should

be added towards the end of the boiling process.
5. The fruit is cooked suf iciently to liberate the pectin. In practice, a mixture of under
ripe and ripe fruits is used, under-ripe fruits for their pectin content and ripe ones

for their lavour.
6. Over cooking of Jams make them hard.

7. Excess of acid in Jams result in thin and watery consistency. Correct setting is
required for long shelf life of the product.

8. Fruit with high pectin make good Jams, just ripe fruits contain maximum amount
of pectin Over-ripe fruit should not be used, as it produces pasty product, because
as the fruit ripens, the pectin present in it decomposes into pectic acid, which does

not form a jellying effect with acid and sugar.

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