Mechanical clamping as an alternative to pressure compensation in steam processing of foods packed in jars/pouches.

Green peas in brine were half filled in four jars and covered with 2% hot brine; so
that a head space of 2 cm was maintained. After lug capping the jars were clamped
with nut and bolt. Similarly, four multilayered laminate pouches were filled with water
at 95°C containing drops of phenolphthalein. The pouches were then pushed in terry
cloth pouches 1 cm longer and 1cm wider so that the heat seal of the flexible
pouches came under the metallic clampclosing of the terry cloth pouch. Head space
equivalent to 4 cm top length of the pouch was maintained. Also a rigid plastic bottle
containing water and few drops of phenolphthalein was clamped tightly after screw
cap fitting using an A10 can. All the jars, pouches and rigid plastic bottle were
separtely autoclaved containing 1 N sodium hydroxide at 7030.7 Kg. per square inch
for 20 minutes. The contents were found to have good quality and no leakage from
or into the containers was observed.