CORVALLIS, Ore. – As canning season gets underway, the food safety and preservation helpline from Oregon State University Extension Service will start taking calls July 7.
The toll-free helpline, 800-354-7319, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The helpline will be staffed by certified Master Food Preserver volunteers in several Oregon counties until Oct. 10. After this date, the helpline will remain open and will be checked weekly for voice messages. In 2024, the volunteers fielded 723 calls.
“Preserving the summer harvest is a cherished tradition for Oregonians, but safely preserving and storing foods can be challenging to do well, and potentially dangerous if not done properly,” said Jared Hibbard-Swanson, food security and safety program manager at OSU Extension. “The OSU helpline gives those folks who are canning, drying and freezing foods at home a chance to leave a voicemail with their questions and get a call back from a trained volunteer who can troubleshoot their preservation or food safety concerns.”
Most commonly, helpline callers ask about recipes for canned salsa and fruits, refrigerator usage and where to get a pressure canner gauge checked. OSU Extension offers these publications: Salsa Recipes for Canning, Canning Seafood, Canning tomatoes and tomato products and Use, Care and Operation of Your Pressure Canner.
Additional publications and fact sheets are available on the OSU Extension website.
Launched 1980 in Lane County, the Master Food Preserver Program has grown to include more than 300 Master Food Preservers who complete an eight-week course to become certified, volunteer on the helpline and host workshops and information booths at fairs and farmers markets.
Ask Extension, an online question-and-answer service, is another way to get information. Extension experts can offer information about anything related to food preservation – from safety concerns to recipes – and strive to respond within two business days.
Additionally, several Extension offices offer free pressure canner dial gauge testing. Helpline volunteers can provide information specific to a county.
Extension Service
About the OSU Extension Service: The Oregon State University Extension Service shares research-based knowledge with people and communities in Oregon’s 36 counties. OSU Extension addresses issues that matter to urban and rural Oregonians. OSU Extension’s partnerships and programs contribute to a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for Oregon.
Grace Xue, 541-737-8654, [email protected]
Jared Hibbard-Swanson, 503-373-3763, [email protected]
