I saw this comment today on another post "...I thought peaches were low acid..." and thought that perhaps a list of common fruits with relative pH values might be of some help in understanding what you can process in a BWB (boiling water bath) and be safe.

Obviously, using approved recipes takes the guesswork out of it, but sometimes folks like to understand the "Why" factor, too.

This list is by no means comprehensive, and is compiled from a number of different sources (the USDA, various extension services, some trusted canning books). Also, it very much depends on the variety of fruit, so that is one reason for the wide range of values on certain fruits, like apricots. Some of the information has not been updated recently, but it should be a good guide.

High Acid=Low pH Number

Lemon Juice 2.0 - 2.6

Lime Juice 2.0 - 2.4

Lemons 2.0 - 2.4

Limes 2.0 - 2.8

Cranberries 2.3 - 2.7

Vinegar 2.4 - 3.4

Gooseberries 2.8 - 3.1

Grapes 2.8 - 3.8

Plums 2.8 - 4.5

Currants, Red 2.9

Pomegranates 2.93 - 3.10

Grapefruit 3.00 - 3.75

Strawberries 3.00 - 3.90

Rhubarb 3.10 - 3.40

Blueberries 3.12 - 3.33

Quince 3.12 - 3.40

Pineapple 3.20 - 4.00

Cherries 3.20 - 4.10

Raspberries 3.22 - 3.95

Apples 3.30 - 4.00

Table Wine 3.30 - 3.70

Apricots 3.30 - 4.80

Peaches 3.30 - 4.05

Tangerine 3.32 - 4.48

Mangoes 3.40 - 4.63

Pears 3.50 - 4.60

Elderberries 3.60 - 3.80

Oranges 3.69 - 4.34

Tomatillos 3.83

Blackberries 3.85 - 4.50

Nectarines 3.92 - 4.18



Dates 4.14 - 4.88

Tomatoes 4.30 - 4.90

Bananas 4.5 - 5.2

Peppers 4.65 - 5.45

Asian Pears 4.7

Figs 5.05 - 5.98

Watermelon 5.18 - 5.60

Onions 5.30 - 5.85

Melons 5.78 - 6.67

For reference:

Pure Water 7.00