The Fowler's Vacola jar is a molded glass jar used in
canning for
food preservation. It is the most popular
home canning
Home canning or bottling, also known colloquially as putting up or processing, is the process of preserving foods, in particular, fruits, vegetables, and meats, by packing them into glass jars and then heating the jars to create a vacuum seal an ...
system in Australia.
History
The system was developed in 1915 in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia, by Joseph Fowler (28 February 1888 – 24 April 1972), who migrated from England in 1912, at his home in
Hawthorn, Victoria, and became very popular.
The jar
The Fowler's Vacola system uses glass jars, single use rubber ring seals and pressed metal lids, much like American
Mason jar
A Mason jar, also known as a canning jar or fruit jar, is a glass jar used in home canning to preserve food. It was named after American tinsmith John Landis Mason, who patented it in 1858. The jar's mouth has a screw thread on its outer perime ...
s first patented in 1858, except that the jars and lids are not threaded. During the canning process, while still hot (and presumably
sterile), the lids are secured by metal tension clips which are removed once cooled and a vacuum seal has formed.
Other equipment marketed by the company included a large electrically heated waterbath and "sterilizing thermometer", a glass
thermometer
A thermometer is a device that measures temperature or a temperature gradient (the degree of hotness or coldness of an object). A thermometer has two important elements: (1) a temperature sensor (e.g. the bulb of a mercury-in-glass thermometer ...
mounted on a concave stainless steel backing, graduated in both degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit.
Availability
Fowler's Vacola products are still produced by the original Fowlers Vacola company, and are available from some hardware stores, and directly from the company via their online store.
fowlersvacola.com.au
/ref> Used equipment is frequently sold on online auction sites and in opportunity shops.
The company
Fowlers Vacola specialises in bottling jams and other foods at its manufacturing plant in Sydney.
See also
* Kilner jar
A Kilner jar is a rubber-sealed, screw-topped jar used for preserving (bottling) food. It was first produced by John Kilner & Co., Yorkshire, England.
History
The Kilner Jar was originally invented by John Kilner (1792-1857) and associate ...
* Screw cap A screw cap or closure is a common type of closure for bottles, jars, and tubes.
Usage
A screw closure is a mechanical device which is screwed on and off of a "finish" on a container. Either continuous threads or lugs are used. It must be engi ...
* Sterilization (microbiology)
* Weck jar
References
{{reflist
External links
Preserving Tradition
Fowlers Vacola Company Website
Glass jars
Canned food
Food storage containers