Mango Jam

Is jam bad for you?
In Kenya store-bought jams have high content of sugar so they should be consumed in small amounts. However homemade jam can be made with less sugar, no corn syrup, artificial flavours or colourings.

Spoiled fruit jam?
Always use clean spoon when you eat jam. When you lick spoon do not put it back to jar. Saliva contains lots of bacteria that grow in jam culture. Sun and hot African weather speeds bacterial growth too.

What is pectin and why is important?
Pectin is carbohydrate fiber found in fruit cell walls. When cooked with acid fruit, sugar and water, pectin fibers disolves and traps water in jelly structure. That gives jam typical jelly consistency.

Is pectin bad for you?
Pectin is not bad as long as it is natural, but it can be expensive. You can prepare pectin at home from underripe apples or citrus peel. When you select high pectin fruits you can avoid adding extra pectin altogether.

Is making jam at home difficult?
No, but it can be time consuming. If you have time and closely follow recipe and methods, then making homade jam can be very rewarding. Just ask your kids after they taste your hot fuit jam. When you are busy person, try buy your fruit jam from local producers. Read labels and prefer trusted brands.

How long does it take to cook a jam?
It's different for each fruit. Around 1 hour with preparations. 30 minutes cooking time. Thick homemade plum jam needs multiple hours of cooking. The longer you cook jam the more fruit sugar turn into caramel. Be careful, when you cook too long burned sugar adds bitter flavour.

How can I make jam more thick in natural way?
Cook it longer. Add finely cut inside part of citrus peal. White part of peel is source of natural pectin. Add chia seeds. Add natural cornstarch or gelatin.

What do I need to make fruit jam?
Cooking jam is nothing difficult. You need pot, wooden spoon, fruits and bit of good cane sugar.

How do I preserve jam in jars?
You can preserve jams in jars using water bath method or in using pressure canner. Please read more literature about canning process. Selecting wrong method or altering prescribed canning times for different fruit can cause bacterial growth in your jars.

How long I can is store fruit jam?
When canned correctly jam can be stored on shelf for up to one year. After openin store fruit jam in fridge. Consume within a week. Read labels for store bough jams.

Is there gelatin in fruit jam?
Yes, gelatin can be used to thicken the jam. There is distinct line between gelatin and pectin. Gelatin is made using animal meat, skin or bones. Pectin come from fruits. So pectin is vegan, gelatin is not.

Is there gelatin in fruit jam?
Yes, gelatin can be used to thicken the jam. There is distinct line between gelatin and pectin. Gelatin is made using animal meat, skin or bones. Pectin come from fruits. So pectin is vegan, gelatin is not.

Can all fruits be preserved?
Most of the fruits can be preserved. Some are easier, some more difficult. It depends how acid the fruit is and how much pectin selected fruit contains. Pick a fruit high in natural pectin. Your jams naturally turns out thick and delicious.

Easy to Make Jams

(High Acid and High Pectin Fruit)

• Apple Jam
• Blackberry Jam
• Currant Jam
• Fig Jam
• Gooseberry Jam
• Grape Jam
• Kiwi Jam
• Lemon Jam
• Lime Jam
• Orange Jam
• Pineapple Jam
• Plum Jam
• Rhubarb Jam
• Pomegranate Jam

These fruits high on pectin. When cooking these fruits they make great thick fruit jam with no added pectin.

Moderately Difficult Jams

(High Acid and Low Pectin Fruit)

• Apricot Jam
• Blueberry Jam
• Cherry Jam
• Peach Jam
• Pear Jam
• Strawberry Jam

Fruit jams made of these fruits need to be cook for longer or you need to add natural pectin.

Difficult to Make Jams

(Low Acid Fruit Jams)

• Banana Jam
• Coconut Jam
• Fig Jam
• Mango Jam
• Papaya Jam
• Peach Jam
• Watermelon Jam
• Any Jam Made from Overripe Fruit

If you are new to making jams avoid these fruits. You need to add lemon juice if you want to store these fruit jams in jars. Amount of lemon can be different for each fruit and its ripeness. Refer to tested methods and recipes. Bad preservation methods cause growth of dangerous food born bacteria.