Canning is widely used commercially for preserving fish and other seafoods. Fish can
also be safely canned at home if the proper processing procedures are followed.
The factors affecting the quality and safety of canned fish vary according to the type
of fish and the canning process used. Producing canned fish that is both safe and of high
quality involves more than just putting fish into a jar, sealing it, and giving the jar a
heat treatment. Different types of fish also differ in fat
content, moisture content, and the firmness or fragility of the flesh. Such
differences require adjustments in the preprocessing steps for canning different fish. For
example, salmon have thick, tough skin that won't split or abrade during handling and
heating, while the skin on suckers will split and slough if treated the same way.
Many species of freshwater fish are suitable for canning--trout, northern pike, smelt,
and carp, as well as suckers and salmon. However, panfish like walleye, pike, crappies,
and bass are better preserved by freezing.
A Note of Caution
There is always a risk of food poisoning (botulism) whenever low-acid foods like fish
are canned. Fish live in an environment that contains bacteria called "Clostridium
botulinum." The spores of these organisms are found on the surface and in the gut of
fish. When fish or any low-acid food containing either the living bacteria or its spores
is improperly canned, this bacteria can grow and produce a toxin that is one of the most
potent poisons known--it can kill any person or animal consuming it.
To avoid this deadly hazard, the canning of low-acid foods requires temperatures above
the boiling point of water for periods of time that vary according to the characteristics
of the food being canned. Such temperatures can only be obtained with a steam pressure
cooker. Other canning methods--like the boiling water-bath canning method--should never be
used for canning fish or other low-acid foods.
-Excerpted from "Home Canning of Fish," by David A. Stuiber and Mary E.
Mennes. For a free printed copy of the complete brochure, email your mailing address to
Linda Campbell linda@seagrant.wisc.edu
