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Conserverie Bio Meriem
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Food preservation

Our preservation process

You prepare your dishes; we fill them into cans and sterilise them in an autoclave. A natural process: no preservatives are added.

How it works

  1. 1

    You prepare

    A dish cooked the same day, with fresh ingredients, following the requirements below.

  2. 2

    You drop off

    You bring us the dish while still hot, or your oil to be packed in tins.

  3. 3

    We package

    Filling into metal food cans, then sealing the lid.

  4. 4

    We sterilise

    Autoclave processing under steam pressure, then cooling.

  5. 5

    You collect

    Your cans are ready 2 to 24 hours later, depending on the quantity.

Autoclave sterilisation

Heat under pressure, no preservatives

An autoclave is a closed chamber in which steam is kept under pressure. At atmospheric pressure, water boils at 100 °C; under pressure, steam goes beyond that temperature. This extra heat, held long enough to reach the centre of every can, destroys micro-organisms and their spores — something ordinary cooking cannot do.

The cans are sealed before sterilisation: the lid is rolled and pressed onto the body of the can, which becomes airtight. Once sterilised, nothing can get back in. This is the principle of appertisation, preservation by heat: no additives are needed.

  • Destroys the micro-organisms that cooking leaves alive
  • Airtight can: neither air nor bacteria can get back in
  • Keeps at room temperature, with no cold chain
Pressurised steam · above 100 °C

The quality of the dish matters

Our process is a natural one: the autoclave sterilises what it is given; it cannot rescue a badly prepared dish. The success of sterilisation depends on the quality of your dish — hence the requirements to follow.

See the requirements

Packaging

Metal food cans

Your dishes are packed in metal cans designed for food contact. Filled while hot, they are sealed and then sterilised: they protect the contents from air, light and knocks, and can be carried without special care.

  • 250 g
  • 400 g
  • 500 g
  • 1 kg
Conserverie Bio Meriem cans and cooked vegetables.

What keeps well

Dishes cooked in sauce, meat, fish, seasonal vegetables, well-drained cooked salads.

What does not keep

Dishes made with pasta or cereals (couscous, rice, berkoukech), potatoes, dishes very rich in green vegetables.

Packaging

Oil in metal tins

Olive oil fears three things: light, air and heat. They oxidise it, turn it rancid and strip its aromas. A metal tin protects it from light and, tightly closed, limits its contact with air.

Bring your oil: we pack it in tins, from the smallest size to the family tin.

  • 0.5 L
  • 1 L
  • 2 L
  • 3 L
  • 5 L
Metal olive oil tins and olives in an olive grove.

Keeping your oil well

  • In a cool place, away from light and from the hob
  • Tin closed tightly after each use
  • A small tin for everyday use, the larger ones for storage
Vacuum pouches of vegetables, olives and salmon.

Packaging

Vacuum pouches

The air is drawn out, then the pouch is heat-sealed. Without air, food oxidises far less and stays fresh for longer. A practical solution for families, restaurants and retailers.

  • Preserves the flavour and nutritional value of food
  • Prevents freezer burn
  • Limits the growth of bacteria and mould
  • Markedly extends cold storage time
  • Ideal for the fridge and the freezer

For meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, cheese, dried fruit, cereals…

  • 17 × 22 cm
  • 25 × 35 cm

Vacuum packaging is not sterilisation: fresh vacuum-packed food must be kept in the fridge or the freezer.

Successful canning

Requirements for your dish

For sterilisation to succeed, the dish you bring us must meet all of these requirements.

Requirements of the Conserverie Bio Meriem workshop

  1. The dish must be cooked the same day and brought to us still hot: no leftovers from the day before.
  2. Fresh meat only: no frozen meat.
  3. Fresh vegetables only: no frozen vegetables, such as broad beans or peas.
  4. Avoid out-of-season vegetables, which are often more heavily treated.
  5. No bicarbonate of soda and no yeast.
  6. Bay leaves and chilli may flavour the cooking, but remove them from the dish afterwards.
  7. No potatoes.
  8. Kamounia: cook it without cumin, which makes the dish bitter.
  9. Tomato paste must come from a freshly opened can.
  10. Meat and vegetables must be covered with sauce; the dish must be well cooked and reduced until it “comes back to its oil”.
  11. No shop-bought olives or pickles (vegetables in vinegar).
  12. When tasting, never put the ladle you used back into the pot.
  13. Add all the water at the start of cooking; do not add more once the dish is cooked.
  14. Mechouia salad must be well drained of its water.
  15. Dishes made with pasta or cereals (couscous, rice, berkoukech) cannot be preserved.
  16. Dishes rich in green vegetables, such as celery, keep for a shorter time: green vegetables oxidise quickly.

Original version, in Arabic

  1. يجب أن يُطهى الطعام في نفس اليوم وأن يصلنا ساخنًا، فالطعام البائت لا يصلح.
  2. لحم طازج فقط، لا لحم مجمّد.
  3. خضر طازجة فقط، لا خضر مجمّدة كالفول والجلبانة.
  4. ابتعدوا عن الخضر في غير موسمها، فهي غالبًا معالجة بالمبيدات.
  5. لا بيكربونات ولا خميرة.
  6. يمكن الطهي بالرند والفلفل، لكن انزعوهما من الطعام بعد ذلك.
  7. لا بطاطا.
  8. الكمونية تُطهى دون كمّون، لأن الكمّون يجعل الطعام مرًّا.
  9. معجون الطماطم يجب أن يكون من علبة جديدة.
  10. يجب أن تكون الخضر واللحم مغطّاة بالصلصة، وأن يكون الطعام مطهوًّا جيدًا وواقفًا على زيته.
  11. لا تطبخوا بالزيتون والفاريانت المشترى من السوق.
  12. عند التذوّق، لا تُرجعوا المغرفة إلى القِدر.
  13. ضعوا كل ماء الطهي من البداية، ولا تضيفوه بعد أن ينضج الطعام.
  14. السلطة المشوية يجب أن تكون مصفّاة جيدًا من الماء.
  15. الأطباق التي فيها عجين كالكسكسي والأرز والبركوكش لا تصلح للتعليب.
  16. الأطباق التي فيها الكثير من الخضر الخضراء كالكرافس لا تُحفظ طويلًا، لأن الخضر الخضراء تتأكسد بسرعة.

After collection

Keeping your cans at home

Unsure about a dish?

Ask us before you cook: we will tell you whether it keeps well.

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