Hi Sandy,

Great question! 
Vacuum sealers are a great tool for storing dehydrated pantry items. They remove oxygen from food, keeping dried foods fresher longer. 

This method does not replace canning wet foods in a boiling water canner or a pressure canner. Enzymes, yeasts, molds, and bacteria are destroyed in the process of canning. Simultaneously, oxygen is evacuated from the jar, creating an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment that prevents the reintroduction of these items into the jar. 

Vacuum-sealed jars of wet foods may remove oxygen from the jar, but they do not kill molds, yeasts, or bacteria. The contents of your jars could begin to ferment, mold, or worse, harbor spores of Botulism, a serious neurotoxin. 
 
Clostridium Botulinum spores germinate in low-acid, high-moisture, anaerobic, and room temperature environments. All vegetables, meat, poultry, and seafood are low-acid foods and should not be vacuum sealed for food preservation.

I'm including a link to the National Center for Home Food Preservation if you'd like to learn more about safely preserving these foods. State Extension sites and publications are research-based resources, as are Ball books published after 2016. 

I'm so glad you asked this question. Online ads are misleading, and I worry folks will use this unsafe practice to replace heat processing.  

I hope this helps. 
Warmly,
Buffy Rhoades

Thank you so much! Yes ads can be misleading! I appreciate your response!

Hi Sandy,

I'm glad this was helpful. I can't stress enough that this is not a safe process and doesn't replace canning high- or low-acid foods. I appreciate you asking. 

Warmest regards,
Buffy