Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600605
10/13/97

OIL IN CANNED FRUITS OR VEGETABLES

    In  general,  it  is not a good practice to add oil  or

margarine
 to fruits or vegetables that will  be  processed.

Oil
 or margarine will not go into solution but will form an

unstable
 emulsion   with  tiny   oil   droplets   scattered

throughout
the product.  Heat does  not  penetrate  the  oil

droplets
very well,  therefore  microorganisms or  spores in

the
oil droplet  may  survive  processing.  Even  in an acid

product
 (such  as   tomato  sauce),  the  micro-environment

immediately
surrounding an  oil droplet  may not be the same

pH
as the rest of the product, thus permitting the growth of

microorganisms
 that  could  not  otherwise  grow in an acid

medium.
 It is best to process  the  product  without  added

oil;
 if desired,  oil can  be  added just  before  serving.

Another
alternative is to freeze the product.               

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