Electric Pressure Canners (Presto/Carey) - Ask Extension
I'm in a long term discussion with several people about the safety of Electric Pressure Canners (not cookers, but canners) we all know the multi-use c...
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Electric Pressure Canners (Presto/Carey) #879937
Asked August 02, 2024, 3:05 PM EDT
I'm in a long term discussion with several people about the safety of Electric Pressure Canners (not cookers, but canners) we all know the multi-use cookers are not safe to can in, even though they have the button. However some of these are called Electric Pressure Canners like Presto and Carey. Many people are saying since the word Canner is used instead of Cooker so that makes it safe...and of course the companies which make these devices are saying they are safe and "Meet the USDA Guidelines".
Would you please chime in and give an opinion on these Electric Canners? Are they recommended or Not Recommended? Has any testing been done?
Thanks a bunch
Martha
Marion County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Martha,
Thanks for the question. I know that all of the commercial products and terminology out there can be a bit confusing.
Extension is not in the business of reviewing and verifying the suitability of every commercial product that comes on the market, but if and when people raise serious concerns about the performance of products and we can find the resources we may evaluate these products. This is what happened with the original electric pressure cookers that resulted in the under-processing of pressure canning recipes creating botulism concerns. These pressure cookers depressurized too quickly which significantly reduced the total heat treatment of the foods in jars.
The newer products from companies that have been historically involved in producing home canning products (e.g., the Presto Electric Pressure Canners) have procedures, processes, and pressurization/depressurization rates that align with USDA recommendations. We have not been able to collect primary data for these canners, but we also don't have any reason to think that they would be clearly outside the recommendations.
We do hope to collect data on these canners, but we are waiting on the development of temperature data loggers that will fit in the canner.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for using Ask Extension.
Joy
Thanks for the question. I know that all of the commercial products and terminology out there can be a bit confusing.
Extension is not in the business of reviewing and verifying the suitability of every commercial product that comes on the market, but if and when people raise serious concerns about the performance of products and we can find the resources we may evaluate these products. This is what happened with the original electric pressure cookers that resulted in the under-processing of pressure canning recipes creating botulism concerns. These pressure cookers depressurized too quickly which significantly reduced the total heat treatment of the foods in jars.
The newer products from companies that have been historically involved in producing home canning products (e.g., the Presto Electric Pressure Canners) have procedures, processes, and pressurization/depressurization rates that align with USDA recommendations. We have not been able to collect primary data for these canners, but we also don't have any reason to think that they would be clearly outside the recommendations.
We do hope to collect data on these canners, but we are waiting on the development of temperature data loggers that will fit in the canner.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for using Ask Extension.
Joy
