The University of Georgia’s National Center for Food Preservation
does not support the use electric, multi-cooker appliances to make USDA-approved
pressure canning recipes, even if the device features canning or steam-canning
buttons or manufacturers’ directions for pressure canning. The USDA cannot
recommend pressure canning with electric multi-cookers because not enough
research has been done on key parts of the food preservation process in those
appliances to prove their ability to safely preserve food:
• The USDA has not yet conducted research on jars inside an
electric pressure cooker to track the actual temperatures inside the jars throughout
the process.
• USDA recommendations were determined for stovetop pressure
canners which hold four or more quart-size jars standing upright. However, only
up to four upright pints fit in most electric multi-cookers currently on the
market.
• In order to ensure the safety of the final product, the temperature
in the canner must stay above a minimum temperature throughout the entire
processing time. Do power surges or drops with an electric canner cause the
temperature to drop too low? How will you, the user know if that happens with
your cooker?
• Bacteria are killed while the canner comes up to pressure
and during the cool-down time, as well as during the processing time. For
example, after the heat is turned off, the food remains hot enough to kill
bacteria for a time while the canner cools down to zero pounds of pressure. If
anything shortens the cooling period, including using a very small cooker, then
the food could cool down too quickly and still harbor dangerous bacteria and
other microorganisms.
Please note: This statement about electric cookers does NOT include
the Ball® Automatic Home Canner for acid foods only, which is electric, but (1)
is not a “multi-cooker”, but a dedicated canner, (2) comes with its own
instructions and preset canning options for specific food preparations, and (3)
has had proper thermal process development done to support the recommendations
with it.
Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation at the
University of Georgia. (2015, February 13). Burning Issue: Canning in Electric
Multi-Cookers. Retrieved from: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/electric_cookers.html
Resource:
May/June 2015 Preserve It Fresh, Preserve It Safe newsletter
