Techniques and Equipment to Avoid in Home Canning

The following is a list of home canning techniques and equipment that pose a threat to home canning food safety:

Jars that were not originally intended for home canning, like old mayonnaise jars, should not be used for home canning.  The thin glass walls of these jars break and are not safe to use.

Old canning jars with a wire bale and zinc or glass lid are unsafe to use for home canning.  These antiquated jars no longer meet current home canning safety standards. 

Pressure canners with a missing or malfunctioning pressure guage should not be used.  These pressure canners can reach extremely high internal pressures and explode.

Home canning techniques that use your oven or microwave are unsafe because proper temperature and pressure cannot be maintained, as it can on the stove top.

Avoiding the use of the equipment and techniques listed above will go a long way towards improving home canning food safety.