
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