Short answer….no.  Although some manufacturers indicate that their product can safely pressure “can” foods, the USDA has not endorsed this method. From the USDA: “We do not know if proper thermal process development work has been done in order to justify the canning advice that is distributed with these pressure multi-cooker appliances.”  The concern is for the temperature inside the jars of food. The appliance may very well achieve a recommended pressure (hence the quick cooking process they are created to achieve), but it is not known if the interior of the jar reaches a temperature high enough to kill foodborne illness pathogens.

Food preservation is science. The directions and recipes provided by USDA, Extension and the National Center for Home Food Preservation have been researched and proven. These are the methods and recipes recommended for use by the home canner.

So, use your pressure cooker to hard boil eggs or make a roast in 20 minutes, but leave the canning to a certified pressure canner.

For more information please go to: https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/electric_cookers.html

Visit our website at: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/foodpreservation/

Interested in listening to a webinar on Home Food Preservation? Find recordings here: https://extension.illinois.edu/global/nutrition-and-wellness