User:IsabellePhilpott/sandbox

Nutrition Value of Apple Butter:

The nutritional value of apple butter is varies quite a bit based on the recipe used to prepare that particular product. The ingredient list can be as simple as just two ingredients to a much more complicated mixture of foods. Although the ingredients may vary, which changes the nutritional value of the apple butter, the two main things that stand out to consumers on the nutritional facts table are the amount of carbohydrates and the amount of sugar that the apple butter contains. For 1 tablespoon the amount of carbohydrates range from 4-15 grams and the sugar content ranges from about 4-10 grams. Apple butter is not a good source for iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B, though it contains a small amount of vitamin C.  Although all the recipes vary the main ingredients in all apple butters is apples and apple juice. In commercial brands of apple butter the type of apples used are not specified, but in certain homemade recipes they specify what types of apples to use. Commercial brands tend to use corn syrup in their apple butter.In homemade apple butter, sugar or brown sugar are more frequently used. Apple butter may be a healthier choice of spread than other breakfast spreads, but would not be considered to be healthy, as it does not give the consumer very many nutrients. Apple butter is more of an accessory food to put on your toast or other foods simply added for its taste.

Food Borne diseases associated with Apple Butter: Apple Butter is at low risk for food borne disease. The way that Apple Butter is packaged is very similar to that of Jams. Apple Butter is stored in glass jars, which allow light to enter the container therefore their self-life is less than that of food canned in steel cans. The preservation technic used to preserve apple butter is called canning. Canning is a process where pre-packaged food is exposed to moist heat of at least 121°c for a certain amount of time in order to kill microorganism that cause spoilage and disease. Although Apple Butter is at low risk for food borne disease if canned improperly, especially when being made at home, the product may grow dangerous microorganism.If improperly canned a germ called Clostridium botulinum can survive and multiply in the jar. This germ produces a toxin that can serious harm an individual or in some cases even cause death. Individual need to verify that the jars are properly seal and that the heat treatment is used on the jars of apple butter for a sufficient amount of time in order to kill all microorganisms and prevent the product from contamination through the air of the outside environment. Once the jar is unsealed then the product must be stored in a refrigerated environment to maintain good as the refrigeration may slow down or inhibit the growth of microorganism that cause spoilage.