Instant Pot as an Autoclave Sterilization

[SassiBird]

Did you know - if you have an Instant Pot or a home pressure cooker you can use it to sterilize stuff.

I don't see the need for regular maintenance, but if there were an illness or something. I could see it coming in handy.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12267939

 

[Kiwibird]

Interesting concept. I bet a regular pressure cooker (the stovetop variety) would work for this too.

The only thing I ever need to really carefully sterilize are canning jars, bands and lids. But as-per the USDA guidelines, boiling in a pot of water is sufficient sterilization for food preservation purposes. Most of the things I can are low-acid and require pressure canning (in a pressure canner, which is like a large pressure cooker) which is more effective than water bath (boiling the jars in a large pot) canning for killing bacteria in the food.

 

[dhraiden]

Huh, never thought to use our Insta-Pot this way. Smart idea!

 

[chris-md]

Never heard of instapot but yes, pressure cookers work as a mini autoclave. Home orchid growers can use it as part of the sterile culture method of germinating orchid seeds.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Brilliant!