ARE YOU SURE YOUR PRESSURE COOKER IS SAFE!
345 years after the first pressure cooker has been used, the evolution of this steam vessel has facilitated the life of millions of people.
When in 1679, French physicist Denis Papin, first introduced the idea of cooking with pressure and steam, the risk and unawareness of how safe this cookware item is has been a major constraint. This blog has the intention to clarify and assure you that the pressure cooker is definitely very safe as long as it is used safely and well maintained.
The most important factor is to be aware that using the correct quantity of water, never use more then 2/3 of the capacity of the pressure cooker including the food, make sure that during cooking time the pressure cooker is always attended until the end, when the first steam start to exit from the valve then its time to lower the flame until the expected cooking time. When the cooking time is reached, its time to lift the valve using a fork, until all the steam exited from the vessel, immediately after rinse the unit under water until it completely cool, slowly open the lid , you are done, great food cooked up to 70% faster.
How does it work?
The pressure cooker starts to create steam when it reaches 100 Degrees Celsius and it can reach temperature of up to 150 Degrees while in use and up to one hour, expelling air from the vessel and trapping steam produced from the boiling liquid which is used to raise the internal pressure that together with high thermal heat transfer from steam it permits cooking faster than traditional cooking.
How to keep my pressure cooker safe?
The care with your pressure cooker starts with cleaning of the valves continuously and not using the vessel when the seal is over worn. The seal or gasket is a flexible, usually rubber or silicone ring that forms a tight seal between the lid and the main body of the pressure cooker. This seal is essential for creating airtight conditions inside the cooker, allowing pressure to build up as the contents heat up. To prevent improper sealing in your pressure cooker, check the rubber gasket for any signs of wear or damage. When using a pressure cooker, you rely on a tight seal to create the necessary pressure for cooking. A worn or damaged gasket may fail to create a proper seal between the lid and the pot, causing pressure to escape and increasing the risk of an explosion and prevent the pressure from building up inside the cooker, causing it to release steam and pressure unexpectedly, therefore change the seal at least every year to avoid mal function. Use a brush or toothpick to clean the valve and gasket.
Nevertheless, some figures of accidents have been reported in the US, where in 16 years the NEISS (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System) has identified 759 actual pressure cooker injuries between . https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37666516/
Brands like Brinox, Tefal, Tramontina are products that have proven to be safe, Brinox has been tested in the United Arab Emirates and passed all the tests, assuring the safety of the products, but still it is very important that the consumer makes sure the directions above are followed with care.
