Just in time for the growing season, an OSU Extension hotline is offering advice on all things food preservation.

Since its implementation in 1980, the OSU Extension Food Safety and Preservation hotline has offered resources for Oregonians looking to can their freshly harvested produce.

According to the Food Security and Safety Program Manager at OSU Extension Service, Jared Hibbard-Swanson, the hotline is run by trained volunteers and aims to promote safe preservation tactics.

Where cooking is an art, food preservation is a science, says Hibbard-Swanson. He encourages the use of research based recipes when canning, as improper practices can lead to potentially fatal bacterial illnesses like botulism poisoning.

“There are certain scientific principles of food preservation that will prevent people from getting sick from many different food- borne illnesses,” he said.

According to Hibbard-Swanson, the hotline’s most frequently asked questions often have to do with preserving tomatoes, canning jams and jellies, and determining whether a certain food has gone bad.

The line is staffed July through October to coincide with “Canning Season”—the harvest window for many Oregon fruits and vegetables.

The number can be called at 800-354-7319. Operating hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Oct. 11.