Fruit preserves

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Fruit preserves
Strawberry jam on a dish.JPG
Strawberry jam, one type of common fruit preserve
Type Spread
Main ingredients Fruits or vegetables; sugar, honey or pectin
Food energy
(per serving)
257 kcal (1076 kJ)
Cookbook: Fruit preserves Media: Fruit preserves
Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits, vegetables and sugar, often canned o
r sealed for long-term storage.
Many varieties of fruit preserves are made globally, including sweet fruit prese
rves, such as those made strawberry or apricot, and savory preserves, such as th
ose made from tomatoes or squash. The ingredients used and how they are prepared
determine the type of preserves; jams, jellies, and marmalades are all examples
of different styles of fruit preserves that vary based upon the fruit used. In
English, the word, in plural form, "preserves" is used to describe all types of
jams and jellies.
Contents [hide]
1 Regional terminology
2 Variations
2.1 Chutney
2.2 Confit
2.3 Conserve
2.4 Fruit butter
2.5 Fruit curd
2.6 Fruit spread
2.7 Jam
2.8 Jelly
2.9 Marmalade
3 Production
4 Packaging
5 Legal definitions
5.1 US FDA definitions
5.2 Canadian regulations
5.3 European Union directives on jam
6 Jelly worldwide
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Regional terminology[edit]
Jams, jellies and honeys, Minnesota State Fair
The term 'preserves' is usually interchangeable with 'jams'. Some cookbooks defi
ne preserves as cooked and gelled whole fruit (or vegetable), which includes a s
ignificant portion of the fruit.[1] In the English speaking world, the two terms
are more strictly differentiated and, when this is not the case, the more usual
generic term is 'jam'.[2]
The singular preserve or conserve is used as a collective noun for high fruit co
ntent jam, often for marketing purposes. Additionally, the name of the type of f
ruit preserves will also vary depending on the regional variant of English being
used.
Variations[edit]
Five varieties of fruit preserves (clockwise from top): apple, quince, plum, squ
ash, orange (in the center)
Chutney[edit]
Main article: Chutney
A chutney is a pungent relish of Indian origin made of fruit, spices and herbs.
Although originally intended to be eaten soon after production, modern chutneys
are often made to be sold, so require preservatives often sugar and vinegar to e
nsure they have a suitable shelf life. Mango chutney, for example, is mangoes re
duced with sugar.
Confit[edit]
Main article: Confit
While confit, the past participle of the French verb confire, "to preserve", is
most often applied to preservation of meats,[3] it is also used for fruits or ve
getables seasoned and cooked with honey or sugar till jam-like.[4] Savory confit
s, such as ones made with garlic or fennel, may call for a savory oil, such as v
irgin olive oil, as the preserving agent.[5][6]
Conserve[edit]
Strawberry varenye (murabba)
A conserve, or whole fruit jam,[7] is a jam made of fruit stewed in sugar. Tradi
tional whole fruit preserves are particularly popular in Eastern Europe (Russia,
Ukraine, Belarus) where they are called varenye, the Baltic region where they'r
e known by a native name in each of the countries (Lithuanian: uogiene, Latvian:
ievarijums, Estonian: moos), as well as in many regions of Western, Central and
Southern Asia, where they are referred to as murabba. In Romania they are known
as dulceata.
Often the making of conserves can be trickier than making a standard jam; it req
uires cooking or sometimes steeping in the hot sugar mixture for just enough tim
e to allow the flavour to be extracted from the fruit,[8] and sugar to penetrate
the fruit; and not cooking too long such that the fruit will break down and liq
uify. This process can also be achieved by spreading the dry sugar over raw frui
t in layers, and leaving for several hours to steep into the fruit, then just he
ating the resulting mixture only to bring to the setting point.[7][9] As a resul
t of this minimal cooking, some fruits are not particularly suitable for making
into conserves, because they require cooking for longer periods to avoid issues
such as tough skins.[8] Currants and gooseberries, and a number of plums are amo
ng these fruits.
Because of this shorter cooking period, not as much pectin will be released from
the fruit, and as such, conserves (particularly home-made conserves) will somet
imes be slightly softer set than some jams.[9]
An alternative definition holds that conserves are preserves made from a mixture
of fruits and/or vegetables. Conserves may also include dried fruit or nuts.[10
]
Fruit butter[edit]
Main article: Fruit butter
Fruit butter, in this context, refers to a process where the whole fruit is forc
ed through a sieve or blended after the heating process.
"Fruit butters are generally made from larger fruits, such as apples, plums, pea
ches or grapes. Cook until softened and run through a sieve to give a smooth con
sistency. After sieving, cook the pulp ... add sugar and cook as rapidly as poss
ible with constant stirring. The finished product should mound up when dropped fr
om a spoon, but should not cut like jelly. Neither should there be any free liqu
id." Berolzheimer R (ed) et al. (1959)[11]