Protien is many differnt things and amounts. It add a a nearlyt pure form of protein to a jelly is not something a home canner would want to do if the jars are stored on shelves. I never have seen any commercially makde jellies, jams or other fruit spreads that contain any gelatine. Many times the USDA may not comment, but that isn't to be a way to say that is ok to use it, only that they offer no factual data. If my great grandma used it and never got sick an dthe USDA recommends it use today, an dnoone can get sick, then maybe its fine. But with home canning being as less a test in homes today, and with all the risk takers out there handed down from ancestors, I just don't feel its a justified as a defence to just post recipes that a are hand-me-downs and generations old. Who knows how many people make have been sick or died from these things as many never get reported ever. Please, just play it safe, stick to TODAYS recipes and the ones that are most recently published, researched well, and are virtually foolproof and safe for everyone. Admittedly, I am a risk taker too, but with this kind of component originating from an animal based bypoduct, we can't assume its always going to be safe for use everywhere. Gelatin was also used in surgery, lighting, and photo work. Originally Eastman was the biggest producer an user. I don't know if Eastman, or Eastman Kodak would be making jelly using gelatin?? A reduce or no sugar sprread can be MUCH easier, and MUCH SAFER to make if the proper and far safer ingredients are used. Pomona (ALSO LOW METHOXYL!! with the seperate calcium packet included) has been around a long time and is the most commonly used pectin for use in the low, no sugar jellies, jams and other thickened spreads . After that comes, modified food starches, which are now also offered to home canners by National Starch, and is commonly known as Clear Jel, and also many other more specific commercially used starches.. Its use today, as far outweighed the very negative use of flour, tapioca, regular cornstarch, or other less table thickeners.

Honey Plum Jam 3 cups pitted, coarsely chopped purple plums (about 500g) 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey Combine the plums, sugar, water and lemon juice in saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, but maintain boil. Stir and mash occasionally with back of spoon for about 15 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in honey. Allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in tightly covered jars for up to 2 weeks. Plum Jam You will need 340g sugar for every 450g plums. Wash and dry, stone and weight the plums and cut into halves or quarters. Put into a large saucepan, cover with the sugar. Stir well and leave for 24 hours. Next day, slowly bring the mixture to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon at short intervals until the sugar starts to dissolve. When boiling point is reached, reduce heat and simmer on low until the mixture gels when tested. Stir in 2 teaspoons margarine. Bottle in sterilised jars while still hot and seal with paraffin wax. If liked, add 1 tablespoon chopped glace ginger and 1 tablespoon green ginger wine for every 500g of jam to the mixture when beginning to cook.

I love tomato jam, and have several versions of it. Here are three - the passionfruit one is particularly yummy. Tomato Jam 2 1/2 kg red or yellow egg-shaped tomatoes 2 1/2 kg white sugar 3 lemons Cover tomatoes with sugar and leave overnight. Next morning, strain off liquid, bring to the boil and skim. Add the tomatoes and boil slowly for 30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes, and continue boiling the syrup till it is thick, then add the juice of the lemons. (If desired, the lemons can be sliced and boiled with the tomatoes.) Spoon tomatoes into jars, pour syrup over till brimming full, and seal immediately. If desired, the pulp of several passionfruit can be added to the mixture. (I just use the lemon juice.) Passionfruit and Tomato Jam 500g cooking apples, peeled and chopped pulp of 9 passionfruit 1kg ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced 1.4kg sugar Cook the tomatoes and apples gently in a saucepan until soft. Add warmed sugar, stir until dissolved. Boil rapidly for 30 minutes, then add passionfruit and boil until it gels when tested. Pour into warm jars and seal. Green Tomato Jam 2 Golden Delicious apples 1.2kg green tomatoes 900g sugar Core and thinly slice the apples, cut tomatoes into slices. In a heavy saucepan combine apples and tomatoes. Stir frequently, cooking over low heat for about 30 minutes or until tomatoes have disintegrated and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add sugar and cook until syrup is thick (about 20 minutes more). Pour while hot into sterilised jars.

Hi Sandy, I've made persimmon jam/jelly before. I just cooked it with as much sugar as I wanted - not much, because I also don't like a 'bit of fruit with my sugar' - but I made sure to finish off the jars quickly once I opened them since there wasn't enough sugar to preserve them long term. I also don't use pectin. It turned out more of a 'butter' but the fruit has enough pectin to hold up. The Harvest forum on the Garden side of GW is where all the canners hang out, BTW (link above is broken).