Canning - Harvesting for Health

Nutrition and Health information supplied to GrownUps by Wattie's

The arrival of spring harvest asparagus at Wattie's Hasting factory signals the beginning of an increasing flow of fresh produce from our growers around the region. Asparagus crops are followed by peas when harvest time sees approximately 500 tonnes of peas per day delivered to the Christchurch site.

By March the late summer harvest begins and so too does our busiest time or year where we process the majority of stone and pip fruits along with tomatoes and corn. The factories will be operating around the clock to ensure that produce is processed and canned or frozen within hours of harvesting.

Canning is a unique process that preserves foods in an impregnable "vessel" - the steel can which also ensures that nutrient content remains almost constant during storage. This unique but extremely simple process that allows us to enjoy top quality produce year round is one that we tend to take for granted because it is so common but a closer look revels just how clever canning really is.

Pioneered in the 1790s, canning is an age old preservation method that many home bottlers know well. With technological advancements the process today is far more sophisticated, but the principle remains the same: fresh produce is washed, peeled and sliced or diced as required. Then placed in cans along with the appropriate liquid. The cans are sealed and then cooked at a high temperature to preserve the food and once cooled and washed, labels are applied. While the heat treatment sterilises the contents, the need for preservatives is eliminated.

Canned fruit and vegetable are part of the Ministry of Health's recommended fruit and vegetable forms (along with fresh, frozen, juiced and dried). However, research shows us that many people do not actually realise that canned fruit and vegetables count towards their five servings of fruit and vegetables each day. Perhaps understanding that cans are simply a clever packaging device, allowing us to enjoy nutritious produce year round would encourage people to take a fresher look at canned food and make it easier to meet their daily fruit and vegetable intake target.

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