You cannot MAKE people practice safe canning techniques. Posts here are living proof of that. All you can do is give them the info on safety and then move on. They will either accept it or not. Well some will want to argue about it first. ;)

And some are so devoted to their own personal recipes (or the lack of one) that they really don't care whether it is considered safe or not.

How can you warn them? You really can't except to perhaps say something like "I told Aunt Matilda that I was really concerned about the safety of her salsa since she says she doesn't use one of the approved recipes." The rest is up to them.

Or ask your aunt how much acid she adds to her salsa when she cans it. If it is none, run for the hills. If she says at least 1 cup of bottled lemon juice then it "might" be ok but you'll never know for sure.

Dave

I know I can't make anybody change habits - Aunt Matilda probably learned from her mom or MIL (though I don't remember my grandma canning anything), and for all I know uses open-kettle method. I had no problem eating her jam since I knew she used SureJel so followed those directions but anything else would make me leery. I just was asking for advice on how to broach the subject with her DD, whose house I saw the jar in (and who probably cans hers the same way if she's had time with a newborn).

Cousin's DH is laid up with broken leg, looking for reading material - think I can sneak my copy of The Busy Person's Guide to Perserving Food (1995, Janet Chadwick) in the bag I'm dropping off? He says he likes reference books, and misses working in the garden, so he may read it. Then *he* can say to his wife, gee, do you and your mom add vinegar or lemon juice to your salsa? Since he's the one eating it...