If I am going to lapse and have jam, its usually St Dalfour. Much lower sugar content than the rest.
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@Gaby and @SueW interesting observations re sugar content of jams?
How much sugar should there be in a jam? Given sugar is to jam as salt is to corned meat.
The everyday recipe for jams starts with 50% sugar, 50% fruit. There are comments that some fruits need more (higher water content), or that boiling the mix gradually reduces the moisture content. Hence the much higher observed sugar content of commercially produced jams. Don’t forget the added pectin and acid.
It appears possible to make lower sugar content jams (20-40% sugar) ratio using a modified method.
https://wholefoodcooking.com.au/2017/01/low-sugar-jam/
The other option is to make fruit jellies of which cherry guava is one of my favourites. Traditionally added sugar free. The product relies on boiling down and separating the seeds and skins to extract additional pectin, etc. Not being a flavoured sugar sweet the discussion of fruit jellies might be a whole separate topic?
Is there food science to jam making?
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I really have no idea. Lots, I imagine. I never made jam, that was something Mother always did. I make my current choice based on my diabetes. Really, I shouldnt have any, because it means I’m probably also having scones, and then I have to have some insulin to cover it, not a fab way to lead ones life but needs must.
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MLike @SueW , I’ve never made jam, nor did my mum (when she came here, pre-self service, she had no English and would ask for jam using the Italian word: marmellata, and invariably would be given orange marmalade, until the shop keeper taught her the right word to use.)
In times of home-made preserves sugar was used as a preservative, usually with a 50/50 ratio, but with refrigeration now a much lower sugar content could be achieved in home made jams.
Commercially made jams are another story, some are available with 40% sugar, but as I use jam seldom and just a little, I usually buy the one on sale at the supermarket.
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I have been making jam with 2:1 instead of 1:1 fruit to sugar with no other modification for some time. My general method involves adding very little water to start to soften the fruit (some recipes say to cover it!) which means less boiling down to get to gel point which means the flavour is more of fresh fruit and less “jammy”. It tastes better and lasts unopened just as well, once open it should be refrigerated. I never add pectin or acid or artificial preservatives. You need to start with high pectin fruit. The result is lumpy and opaque due to the fruit fibre and other solids not like the translucent sugary coloured gel you buy, I bottle sweetened fruit not flavoured sugar.
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Called the 1800 number for Cottee’s re country of origin of the ingredients in their raspberry jam: they couldn’t tell me as it was sourced ‘according to availability’.
When pressed, they said that it could be from Asia or Australia ‘according to availability’.
BTW just found out that Confectionary, Snack food, Buiscuits, Soft drinks, and Alcohol, are exempt from the new labelling laws in Au.
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We make all our own jams and chutneys etc. Haven’t bought jam for ages. We have several jars of home made Rosella Jam in our store cupboard at the moment, along with many other sorts including Feijoa which we just made last week.
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I love both of these.
Sadly rosellas take up much space in the garden (and water and manure) and yield little jam per plant. The processing is also very labour intensive. For those who don’t know, you make jam of the calyx of the flower bud not the fruit. If you have the patience the colour and flavour is stunning.
Like cumquat jam you are unlikely to see commercial rosella jam due to the labour costs. If you see it at a country market try it.
Feijoas (pineapple guavas) make a very individual jam, some say it is an acquired taste. Something most will not pick in a blind tasting - I like it.
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CC’s Kitchen, Woolooga (near Gympie, Q) have an online shop and sell Rosella Jam, Pineapple Jam and lots of other interesting goodies. Their products are also available in some shops in Qld. They have a Facebook page too and are very responsive to queries.
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I am sure that they were featured on an ABC Landline episode some months ago, and appeared to be very good.
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Yes, they were. Our dealings with them have been very good.
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Great tip, just up the road, I’ve seen it for sale around the Sunshine Coast.
There are Australian native varieties of the rosella as well as a cultivated version from Africa/Asia. Hibiscus Subdantta
Or
https://www.nurseriesonline.com.au/gardening-articles/hibiscus-subdantta/
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Since Cottees is made in NZ now I usually buy IXL as it’s made in Australia…but I don’t buy jam all that often.
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They have a stall at the farm too Mark. We bought rosellas last year when we were up and brought them home to Canberra and made jam. Also bought some of their products.
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Cottee’s Raspberry Jam
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Thanks, on list for next trip to Gym-Pie. 
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We just brought back a 5 kilo box from Qld and made lots of Rosella goodies.
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Sadly Rosellas wont grow here in Canberra (we’ve tried).
Once you get on a roll with the processing, the separating the rosellas isn’t too bad. We just brought back a 5 kilo box and and made them all into delicious goodies over a couple of days.
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Same, but since I don’t have a cherry tree found the jam expensive to make… but what I did make was delicious.
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make your own… takes few hours and plenty of citrus around… all you need is lemons and plain sugar…pith and seeds provide enough pectin for the jam to set.
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