At our little company we seal jars (by hand) with steam instantly. A
newly filled quart canning jar can be lifted by the lid within seconds.
There are many wonderful advantages in canning acidified foods in this
way. CC

Following my own post: I have shared my method of steam sealing jars
(acidified foods) with many home canners where I live. Perhaps there
would be some group member(s) with a desire to test such a method? CC

commercialcanner wrote:
> Following my own post: I have shared my method of steam sealing jars
> (acidified foods) with many home canners where I live. Perhaps there
> would be some group member(s) with a desire to test such a method? CC

How about just post it and see what the reaction are?

Pastorio

In article . com>,
"commercialcanner" > wrote:

> Following my own post: I have shared my method of steam sealing jars
> (acidified foods) with many home canners where I live. Perhaps there
> would be some group member(s) with a desire to test such a method? CC

No, thanks. I read your first post about it. I process my stuff in a
boiling water bath, per the instructions provided by my university's
food science department and the U of Georgia's (they host) National
Center for Home Food Preservation. Because there are so many novice
canners who pop in here periodically, we tend to promote the rather
conservative research-based methods for home canners and steam sealing
isn't one of them.
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 9-19-05

commercialcanner wrote:
> Following my own post: I have shared my method of steam sealing jars
> (acidified foods) with many home canners where I live. Perhaps there
> would be some group member(s) with a desire to test such a method? CC
>
Just out of curiosity, what do you do besides steam seal your jars. The
processing in a BWB is for more than sealing the jars and delpends on
the contents and density of the product. How do you address that, or
are you only doing jams and jellies?
Ellen

"commercialcanner" > wrote:

>Following my own post: I have shared my method of steam sealing jars
>(acidified foods) with many home canners where I live. Perhaps there
>would be some group member(s) with a desire to test such a method? CC

Why does everything have to be Instant, rather than using a tried and
true, USDA and/or NCHFP approved method?
Why not simply post your method and ask for comments?
Or, are you trying to *sell* rather than share?

Ross.
To email, remove the "obvious" from my address.

Sure, I am glad to get some feedback. First off I live in the Western
time zone, and only review food .preserving group news durning business
hours.

Simple history in the food canning business past and present will
quickly reveal the use of steam or other inert gasses in closing jars
that are not in ph control yet heat processed to acceptable filling
temperatures, usually above 175-185 F. This temperature or greater
allows for pasteurization of the finished product and the container
used up to the fill point. Since the 1930's acidified food products
with cumbersome machinery, have been capped inside of a chamber where a
forced steam environment and sometimes other inert gasses may be
present. The results of this method are improved because the steam is
displacing oxygen and airborne contaminants without restriction. The
method of expelling air through a semi- tightened lid actually leaves
room for many possible problems as does the entire time a jar remains
un-sealed after being poured. The problem with this method is the
chamber. It is for this reason that alot of little food companies
finally reach a point in production that in order to continue in
business they will need to find a co-packer that has invested lots of
money in this kind of equipment. Our little company reached this point
four years ago. Faced with poor seals, too much headspace after
contents are expelled out of the container, unclean jars, sometimes
mold in a sealed jar, employees burning themselves and the inability to
increase production we developed a table top apparatus that is open to
the outside environment (no chamber), that is quick, safe and solves
many canning problems. Also in FDA food facilitys such as ours, what
happens after jar has been processsed while it remains unsealed can be
a concern. The sooner the container is sealed, the better. The steam
gives an immediate vacuum of 4-9hg. The heat of the product, now fully
sealed in the container will increase the vacuum. The apparatus can use
a simple steam source from a small pressure canner. The steam needs to
be under pressure to about 17psi. The flow of steam at 17psi is not so
great to cause immediate harm. By accident and determination a improved
method of canning acidified foods at table top level has been founded.
I think this is long enough for now. CC

I have nothing for sale as my business is making jams. Instant is not
about speed it is about quality.CC