FOOD pH REFERENCE CHART

Approximate pH for fresh ingredients is given in the chart below - these values can vary between fruit and vegetable varieties, growing season and growing conditions. The pH will also change from these approximate values when tested after they have been cooked, canned (and digested). When testing the pH of canned fruit and pickled vegetables, check pH at equilibrium - around 3 weeks after jars have been processed in a water bath canner. pH 4.6 or less is required for water bath canning (we recommend 4.3 or less to allow for pH meter inaccuracy or errors in adjustments). Water bath canning recipes include vinegar, citric acid or lemon juice to increase the acidity of ingredients with low acidity (high pH) i.e. pickled vegetables or lemon juice/citric acid added to some fruits.

Note: pH testing is not required for home food preservation, but it is interesting to check as the pH (acidity) is the main reason why some food is suitable for water bath canning (pH equal to or below 4.6), why others must be pressure canned (pH above 4.6) and also why a few - like avocados and some pureed vegetables - cannot be canned at all (due to density preventing acidification to the correct pH, or accurate heat processing) to ensure safety of all home canned foods.

 

Ingredient	Approx. pH	Ingredient	Approx. pH
Apples	3.30 – 4.00	Apricots	3.30 – 4.80
Artichokes, Globe	5.50 – 6.00	Asparagus	6.00 – 6.70
Avocados	6.27 – 6.58	Bamboo Shoots	5.10 – 6.20
Bananas	4.50 – 5.20	Beans, Dry	5.40 – 6.60
Beans, String/Wax	5.30 – 5.70	Beef	5.40 – 6.00
Beetroot	5.30 – 6.60	Blackberries	3.85 – 4.50
Blackcurrants	2.60 – 3.10	Blueberries	3.11 – 3.33
Boysenberries	3.22 – 4.50	Broccoli	6.30 – 6.85
Brussels Sprout	6.00 – 6.30	Cabbage	5.20 – 6.80
Cactus	4.70	Cape Gooseberries	3.70
Capsicum (Bell Peppers)	4.65 – 5.93	Carrots	5.88 – 6.40
Cauliflower	5.60	Celery	5.70
Cherries	3.25 – 4.54	Chicken	5.70 – 6.30
Chillies (Peppers)	5.60	Coconut	5.50 – 7.80
Corn	5.20 – 7.50	Cucumbers	5.12 – 5.78
Crab	7.70 – 8.30	Cranberry Juice	2.30 – 2.50
Dates, Dried	6.50 – 8.50	Dragon Fruit (Pitaya)	6.00 – 7.00
Duck	5.40 – 6.30	Eggs	7.60 – 8.00
Eggplant	4.50 – 5.30	Elderberries	4.73 – 5.19
Feijoa	3.10 – 3.50	Figs	5.05 – 5.98
Fish	6.20	Ginger	7.50
Goat	5.80 – 6.20	Grapes	2.80 – 3.82
Grapefruit	3.00 – 3.75	Guava	4.00 – 5.20
Horseradish	5.35	Jackfruit	4.70 – 5.72
Kale	6.58	Kangaroo	5.70
Kiwifruit	3.10 – 3.96	Kumquat	3.64 – 4.25
Lamb	5.50 – 6.20	Leeks	5.50 – 6.17
Lemons	2.00	Lemon Juice	2.00 – 2.60
Lettuce	5.70 – 6.15	Limes	2.00 – 2.80
Lime Juice	2.00 – 2.35	Lobster	7.26
Loquat	3.62 – 5.15	Lychee	4.43 – 5.69
Mangoes, Green	3.40 – 4.80	Mangoes, Ripe	5.80 – 6.00
Mangosteen	4.50 – 5.00	Melon, Honey Dew	6.00 – 6.67
Melon, Rock Melon (Cantaloupe)	6.13 – 6.58	Mulberries	3.37 – 5.33
Mushrooms	6.00 – 6.70	Nectarines	3.92 – 4.18
Olives, Black	6.00 – 7.50	Onions	5.30 – 5.88
Oranges	3.69 – 4.34	Oysters	5.68 – 6.70
Palm, Heart Of	6.70	Papaya	5.20 – 6.00
Parsnip	5.30 – 5.70	Passionfruit	2.72 – 3.17
Peas, Fresh/Dry	5.80 – 6.80	Peaches	3.30 – 4.05
Peanuts	6.87	Pears	3.50 – 4.60
Persimmons	4.42 – 4.70	Pineapple	3.20 – 4.00
Plums	2.80 – 4.30	Pomegranate	2.93 – 3.20
Pork	5.50 – 6.20	Potatoes	5.40 – 5.90
Prawns (Shrimp)	6.50 – 7.00	Pumpkin	4.99 – 5.50
Quince	3.43	Radishes	5.52 – 6.05
Raspberries	3.22 – 3.95	Redcurrants	2.60 – 3.10
Rhubarb	3.10 – 3.40	Rose (Java) Apple	4.46
Salmon	6.10 – 6.30	Sardines	5.70 – 6.60
Spinach	5.50 – 6.80	Squash, Cooked	7.50
Squid	6.00 – 6.50	Star Fruit (Carambola)	2.20
Strawberries	3.00 – 3.90	Swedes (Rutabaga)	8.50
Sweet Potatoes	5.30 – 5.60	Tamarillo (Tree Tomato)	3.84 – 4.36
Tamarind	3.00	Taro	8.50
Tomatillo	3.83	Tomatoes	4.30 – 4.90
Tuna	5.20 – 6.10	Turkey	5.80 – 6.50
Turmeric	5.90	Turnips	5.29 – 5.90
Water Chestnut	6.70 – 8.20	Watermelon	5.18 – 5.60
Yams, Cooked	5.50 – 6.80	Zucchini, Cooked	5.69 – 6.10

  

Author: Megan Radaich           

Image Credit: Megan Radaich            

Publication: www.foodpreserving.org