AFAIK, there are no reliable sources out there which provide tested formulas for vegetable purees.

The issue with purees is density. A thicker mixture, even in a small container, takes longer to reach the desired temperature.

It's useless to compare the home food preserver with Gerber. I worked in a food processing plant. They have retorts and lab testing facilities for quality control (which includes safety).

It's pretty simple to can veggies according to instructions provided for chunks or pieces then puree before serving. The quality and vitamin retention will be better anyway, as the processing time will be the shortest possible for safety. With longer processing time for dense mixtures you lose color, flavor and nutrients.

The added advantage of canning this way is that the vegetables are more versatile, being suitable for infant use as well as adult dishes.

Carol

It is not safe to can vegetable puree. Only fruits.
Do as Carol said, can the regular veggies, then mash when you open the jars.That or freeze the baby food.

Agree. NCHFP provides specific directions for canning baby food. Acidic fruits may be pureed but not vegetables. For vegetables the instructions are to can the vegetables chopped, diced, or sliced and puree them only AFTER opening the jars.

As already mentioned there are many foods that may be safely canned with million dollar commercial canning equipment that cannot be done with a simple pressure canner at home.

Dave

This is all true^ ... canning things like sweet potatoes CAN be done, but only if u cube, dice or chop the cooked veggies ... I did purchase small "baby food jars" and canned my own sweet potato puree- they looked great, they all sealed correctly and I put them away for baby-- two days later I looked at them (after smelling something odd) and they had all exploded-- I researched 'WHY' & found that the actual pressure inside the jar changed because when a veggie is puree'd it continues to change... so don't do it! Trust me...its A MESSY MISTAKE

My thought is that once you open a jar of home canned pureed food, you have introduced bacteria into it! My daughter in law bought a great book (sorry, I'll have to look it up!) That gives you home made baby food through toddler food that introduces all sorts of foods and spices/herbs that can be made every few days. I would also use a mini food processer or an Ultimate Chopper for easier cleaning.