Whole or sliced fruit may be canned for preservation in the long term. Because of their acidic chemistry (with a pH lower than 4.6), fruit can be canned simply in a bath of boiling water, rather than needing the use of a pressure canner. Canned fruit is endowed with the same level of vitamins and dietary fiber as fresh or frozen fruit, and the heat applied during the canning process can make the fiber more soluble and therefore useful to the body (though also more readily fermented into gases in the colon). Because of its nutrition value and long shelf life, canned fruit is considered a useful food item for emergency situations, or for people who lack reliable access to fresh alternatives.
