Retort Canning, Basic Information

Retort Canning
Retort canning is a widely used, safe way of commercial canning foods, typically for retail use. Retort pouch bags are used for canning, a process fast becoming an industry standard for commercial food preparations.
Retort pouches have often been used in field rations, space food and camping foods. A retort pouch is made of multiple layers of flexible laminate. If you’ve seen a Capri Sun juice pouch, you’ve seen an example of a retort pouch. You may have also seen tuna companies, such as StarKist or Chicken of the Sea utilizing the retort pouch sealing method. The metal foil laminate is gaining popularity in use as an alternative to traditional canning methods.
The U.S. Army, Reynolds Metals Company and Continental Flexible packaging originally invented the pouch. Historically, the U.S. military has used the pouches for field rations (MREs or Meals, Ready-to-Eat).
The flexible metal-plastic laminate is able to withstand thermal processing used for sterilization, which makes for a safe food storage environment. The pouch is heated under high temperature for several minutes, under high pressure inside retort machines. Food inside the pouches is cooked, in a way similar to pressure-cooking. This sterilization process kills all common microorganisms and prevents food from spoiling.
The retort canning process is similar to canning, with the exception of the container being flexible. The pouches are not regular Mylar bags. Retort canning uses pouches that have been specifically designed to withstand being hot packed.
Many foods lend themselves to the flexibility of the retort canning method, so today’s canners are moving toward this increasingly popular style of canning.
Find retort canning bags here.  http://vacupack.com/bag-flat-commercial/retort-canning

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Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Warning on Retort Bags, and Retort Canning

Retort canning is a fun and new way of canning all types of foods.  Look around in your grocery store and you will see many manufactures taking advantage of retort packaging.  The bags all have a different look custom to the manufacture. 
When a manufacture orders bags they are custom built and printed by the millions. The Military  US Gov. has a green bag and Stock Pot Soups has a clear bag. Both the green and clear bags are not available to the general public.   The bags available to any manufacture or end user for homes or businesses is gold.
   
Retort bags are FDA approved for canning. Mylar bags are not! There is only one bag on the market available for home uses or small commercial food manufactures to use for retort canning.  It is gold in color flat, no gusset, in 2,4,8,and 16 oz sizes. 
Be sure the bags you are buying are gold and have this printed on them.

THIS PRODUCT IS FULLY COOKED & VACUUM SEALED. DO NOT USE CONTENTS IF UNOPENED POUCH IS LEAKING OR HAS BEEN DAMAGED.
REFRIGERATE AFTER OPENING.

If you run into a reseller who is promoting bags that they claim are retort bags and they do not fit this description do not can in them.  They are most likely a very thick Mylar bag not suitable air barrier for canning as well as can be toxic when cooked in.   

Americans are innovators that is what makes this country great.  However the creators of bag materials have run extensive studies on the materials for each purpose.  Mylar was not created to be canned in nor was clear flat bags or other plastics. 

Be safe not sorry it is your family that will suffer if you cut corners and use a bag not designed for retort canning.

Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK!