MSU Extension Safe Food & Water

Sweet summer harvests can be preserved by canning fruit with low or no added sugar. Recipes for canned fruit, such as peaches, can still deliver a full fruit flavor when decreasing some of the calories from added sugar. Just as with low and no-sugar jams and jellies, low or no-added-sugar home-canned fruit can be safely preserved with good results as the fruit may provide adequate sweetness from natural sugars.

Be aware that some home-canned fruit may lose color, flavor and texture without a high-sugar syrup. This is especially true when using water to pack the fruit into canning jars. Fruit juice, such as unsweetened apple, pineapple and white grape juice are good substitutes and will help soften solid fruit pieces. When canning fruits without sugar, it is important to select fully ripe yet firm fruits of the best quality.

Alternatively, some no-calorie sugar substitutes can be used to enhance flavor without increasing calories. For making syrups, use sweeteners that can be measured cup-for-cup, which means equal amounts of sweetener are used to replace the traditional cane or beet sugar. Sucralose is one example and it does not produce a bitter taste when heated. Sweeteners that are not recommended include saccharin, aspartame and xylitol. Many are not heat stable and will break down when processed in a hot water bath canner, losing the desired sweetness and creating bitter flavors. However, these sweeteners work well when added at the time of serving.

Michigan State University Extension recommends that research-based recipes be used for canning fruit. For preservation recipes and information on selecting and storing fruit, visit the Michigan Fresh website. Popular fruits for canning include peaches, plums, pears and apples.

Process fruit with the current United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommended procedures and timetables for canning fruit in a sugar syrup. Older recipes, including those passed down through generations, or recipes from the internet may have unsafe recommendations and are not recommended.

For best quality, the Center for Home Food Preservation recommends using home-canned fruit within one year. It is important to use a label with the product name and date for each jar, so it is not confused with newly canned food. To store home canned foods, use a location that is cool, clean, dry and dark.

The sugar added to fruits when canning not only adds flavor but helps the fruit to hold its texture, shape and color. Sugar is not needed to prevent spoilage and that is why water or fruit juice can be substituted for sugarless home canning. If you are on a special diet or are just watching your calories you may want to try canning without sugar as a good option.