Learn canning, pickling, fermentation, freezing and dehydration

KONA, HAWAII—Geared for those wanting to safely preserve food for home and retail use, the Hawaii Master Food Preservers (HMFP) offers an eight-day course teaching best practices and state health requirements for canning, pickling, fermentation, freezing and dehydration. 

Instruction will be at a certified kitchen in Captain Cook January 21-24 and 27-30. Upon successful completion, participants will earn certification as a Hawaii Master Food Preserver. 

“This is an excellent program for those intending to sell their products at farmers markets, retail stores and online—in addition for home use,” says Ken Love, HMFP president and executive director of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers. “We want to enable community members to safely develop, prepare, consume, package and market locally grown value-added product through education and hands-on experience.”

The canning segment will cover jams, jellies, syrups, chutneys, salsas and high pressure canning of meats, fish and vegetables. 

Regarding dehydration techniques, HMFP vice president and instructor Jane Tai says students will learn “how dry is dry” for food to be safe and shelf stable. “Weʻll teach the science and show participants the tools needed to measure this while opening up the creative world of dehydrated tropical products.”

“We focus on our unique tropical and exotic produce that is not commonly found in other states,” adds Love. “Students will learn how to ensure food products are safely preserved and stored to prevent food-borne illness and meet requirements set by the Hawaii Department of Health.”

The course offers hands-on instruction and execution of preservation methods through quizzes and exams. Students are required to complete a final project of their choice and pass a final exam to become a certified master food preserver.

Course fee is $600 and includes instruction aids; a course prerequisite is a food safety certification from Hifoodhandlers.com, Hawaii Department of Health or ServSafe. Application deadline is is December 1 with half-payment due and candidates are selected on a first-come, first-serve basis due to limited space. For an application and info, email [email protected].

Hawaii Master Food Preservers

HMFP is dedicated to the education and training of individuals in the discipline of food safety, food preservation science and the development of unique value-added products from locally grown and sourced produce. The statewide organizationʻs primary focus is the advancement of entrepreneurial skills and work-force dvelopment. HMFP is commited to increasing Hawaiiʻs innovative, value-added products through exports and creating new income sources for greater sustainabiity in the community. Follow Hawaii Master Food Preservers on Facebook.