Mason Jars
Mason jars are glass jars with steel lids. These jars are useful for various everyday tasks and simplify many of them. In 1858, mason jars hit the market. They were named after John Landis Mason, the artist who created them.
In later years, numerous businesses began to imitate the Mason jar. In addition to being the designer’s name, mason became a trademark for many businesses, and they began producing mason jars under their brand names. The Mason jar has better preserving properties than a standard bell jar.
History of Mason Jars in Preserving Food Items
In the early 20th century, mason jars became extremely useful for storing various edible goods. Mason jars were used by farmers to cultivate, farm, and store seeds, so they were more common in areas with seasonal cultivation.
These jars were also common in retail, where food products were kept in them for customers to see at the counters. Customers could easily check the products’ quality without removing the packaging because mason jars were transparent. Additionally, these jars served a purpose as a gift. Since most people at the time gave food gifts, mason jars added beauty to the packaging because they were stylish and secure.
Mason jar sales peaked during the Second World War. People began to accumulate food supplies because of the serious situation of food shortage. As a result, mason jars proved to be an excellent storage option for both perishable and non-perishable foods. They further developed the timeframe of realistic usability of the food items. In addition, the government began sending food to the soldiers in mason jars due to their durability and ability to preserve food.
Period for Which the Mason Jars Can Store Food
According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, canned food in a Mason jar will keep its quality for 12 to 18 months if properly sealed and stored in a cool, dark place. It is essential to remember that the food’s texture will change over time. To check the condition of your canned goods, reorganize your Mason jars regularly according to their dates and examine the seals.
How do Mason jars Keep Food Fresh?
Mason Jar Bleached Glass
Because glass does not absorb bleach, bleach is an excellent disinfectant. They are incredibly distinctive and advantageous as a result. Bleach is used multiple times to clean the glass in mason jars before they are made. As a result, all microbes are eradicated, and the jars become germ-free. Fruits kept in mason jars avoid contact with infectious particles, which slows down the contamination process and extends their shelf life.
Full Coverage
The lids on mason jars are yet another amazing feature. The lids are now designed, but to open the jar, you must spin them. You can reuse the same lids. When the lid is on, everything that comes into contact with the outside world, like air, dirt, or microorganisms, breaks down. The fruit stays fresher for longer as a result. The fruits are protected from oxidation, preserving their flavour and texture thanks to the airtight mechanism of the mason jars.
Non-Porous
Mason jars’ Non-Porous Character Fruits last the longest in these jars. As a result, airborne particles and microorganisms cannot penetrate the glass’s walls because it is impermeable. As a result, the fruit is not tainted or oxidized. The only way to shorten the fruit’s shelf life in mason jars is to remove the lid and let the fruit breathe.
Airtightness
Despite being completely airtight, many jars fail to preserve food items for longer. How can this be? The straightforward response is that certain chemical compounds in the jar material react with the nutritional components of the fruit to tarnish them. Mason jars solve this issue because they resist nearly all reactions and keep the fruit fresh and original for a long time.
Benefits of Using Mason Jar
Cost-Effectiveness
The production of mason jars is relatively inexpensive, contributing to the final product’s low cost. Additionally, economies of scale automatically lower prices because mason jars are manufactured in large quantities.
Easy Access
In light of how useful mason jars are in everyday life, businesses make a lot of them. As a result, the requirement for mason jars is completely satisfied. As a result, you won’t have trouble finding reasonably priced mason jars in any market.
Food Preservation
The primary benefit of the pantry mason jar is its ability to preserve food, which is discussed in depth in this article. Food items can be stored for longer periods in mason jars without deteriorating in flavour, texture, or colour.
Eco-Friendliness
Mason jars are environmentally friendly because all their components are completely biodegradable and rapidly degrade when disposed of in the soil. Additionally, recycling mason jars is a breeze. This helps the ecosystem and stops resource wastage.