Preparing the Fruit Choose fresh, firm fruits. The faster you can get them from the garden to the jar, the better. If you buy fruits to can, try to get them from a nearby garden or orchard. For even cooking, sort the fruits for size and ripeness. Wash all fruits thoroughly, whether or not they are to be pared.
Dirt contains some of the bacteria hardest to kill.
Handle them gently to avoid bruising. Any of these simple treatments will help prevent darkening. Use a commercial ascorbic acid mixture, available in grocery stores and drug stores, according to instructions on the containers. Hold the fruit in one of these solutions until you're ready to pack the fruit. Then drain the fruit well.