I was sent an e-mail from one of our state health officials that sometimes there's not enough sugar in vegetable jellies, ie tomato, zucchini and peppers to bind the water in the vegetables and keep botulism from possibly growing. They insist for us to sell these products at our local farmer's market that we BWB process them. It's better to be safe than sorry!

Janet

The cider vinegar is really critical in a recipe like this, though I don't know the source of this particular jelly recipe and how it compares for safety with others.

Jeez, paraffin. I suppose it could be used for regular-sugar jams and jellies, but I wouldn't want to fiddle with it. The spoilage rate is higher (mold), shelf-life shorter unless you are really careful to avoid any pinholes or shrinkage, which is why it hasn't been recommended for some time. And here's a new one. Someone reported mice getting in and gnawing on the paraffin. Ugh.

Definitely I would BWB any pepper jelly.

Carol

It isn't just the sugar, it is the vinegar, too, that is needed.
Also, paraffin is not recommended any more. It doesn't make a vacuum seal. It can easily weep and allow for molds to grow. The molds on jelly are not harmless, they produce mycotxins that cause certain types of cancers.

Ok...well BWB it is...thanks to you all!