Pectin Alternatives

Pomona brand low methoxyl (LM) pectin has no preservatives but Pomona pectin is made, just like its preservative-laden cousins, from the by-products of processing non-organic fruit. Low Methoxyl (LM) pectins are chemically modified so they gel with the use of calcium rather than sugar. I tried Pomona Pectin this last year during jam and jelly season and I found it a bit tricky to work with. The package directions were not that understandable. Some jams set really well, but with others I couldn’t seem to figure out how much to put into the batch and it ended up not setting well at all. Also of note, once a bottle of jam is opened it needs to be used up within a shorter time than jams/jellies preserved with other pectins,