Bejay, I believe Weck is referring to the French and Italian Bale-Wire Clamp Jars. The French and Italian mechanical devices are left intact even after processing. There is a hinge on one side and if you release the clamp on the other side the seal will probably break. Also - not sure about the seal "pushing out" during processing. Does that refer to the rubber ring? I believe they do recommend using 3 clamps, but not sure if that is to restrict the ring or the pressure inside The ring pushes out. The pressure still must be relieved. Three clamps brings it closer to the American style which has even pressure on the *ring* from the screwed on lid which must be only finger tight. I do like the idea of the food only coming in contact with the rubber ring and lid, which is glass. I know that the Ball metal lids are coated to be relatively safe, but I also am a bit unsure about any foods (especially acid) coming in contact with metal. There shouldn't be any contact with metal even with the metal lids. The metal lids are completely coated with plastic which contains BPA. However BPA bonds break down in an acid environment. Heat facilitates the process. I have seen the failure of the coating in high acid relish after many years of storage. The plastic coating breaks down and then the metal is exposed. The food does not have to be in direct liquid contact. Acid is present in vapor form too. Remove the cap on a jar of vinegar and your nose will tell you acid is present in gaseous form. I will never again can high acid food with BPA coated metal lids. It may take years to expose the metal but the BPA starts breaking down from day one. I don't think there is a question as to whether or not BPA gets in your food. The question is how much and is that small amount enough to be concerned about. When I read that some have reported that parts per trillion is now a risk vs the old parts per billion I became concerned about even the very small amounts introduced with home canning lids. That's about 1000 times less than what was once considered safe. As most of my own canned foods are being constantly monitored for "shelf life" I haven't noted any metallic influence from Ball lids to date. I agree home canning only exposes the lid and is surely a lot safer than food in complete contact. Shorter shelf times can only benefit. However taste is not always a good indicator of safety. Zeuspaul

I learned canning when I was a little girl with my Grandmother, & Mother and have taught my own girls how to can. We have been very successful with not havind unsealed jars. We have canned close to 100 25# boxes of tomatoes this year. Salsa, Stewed, Chili Sauce & Spag Sauce to name a few. We have followed the new rules to a T and still have several in a batch that do not seal with these new lids. We did 34 jars on Monday, waited the 24 hours before moving or washing them. Checked several times and found 5 that did not seal so I put new lids on and reprocessed them and they seemed to have sealed. When I went to wash the jars to store them, removing the rings found 2 more that had not sealed but I had previously checked the lids by touching and they were all sealed and indented. We want to make vegetable based soup to store for the winter but am afraid now to do it and put them on the shelf for fear the lids will pop and they will spoil. TRASH THESE NEW INVENTIONS AND GET BACK TO THE BASICS.

Those Bormioli jars should be fine for high-acid product. They should be made in Italy (assuming those at your link are not a knock-off) and replacement gaskets are available, both Italian originals and Chinese copies. What you would have to decide is how much you're willing to invest and whether you plan to ship the empties back home if/when you return. For a few jars or small batches it should not be a problem. Can you obtain or have someone send to you citric acid? Perhaps a local pharmacy could obtain it. You need something to acidify those tomatoes and given where you are that's the easiest option. If mailed, make sure it's sent in the original sealed container. Obviously, white powder might elicit suspicion in customs. The pressure cooker will work if it's large enough to accomodate 4 1-quart jars. That's the size limit for a pressure canner as opposed to a cooker. With the citric acid it would not be an issue as boiling water bath would be an option. Carol

Some foods from the store come with one-piece lids in a mason size and thread shape. For example, coconut oil and some kinds of spaghetti sauce. I can with those lids, and I use them multiple times. They have much thicker seal than the flat lids sold for canning. Thicker even than the one-piece lids that used to be sold for canning back in the 80s. I wouldn't use them for low acid pressure canned stuff, of course. I don't think I've ever reused a flat lid, but I would consider it if I just needed one or two more lids for a low acid product like applesauce. I would pick through all my old lids and choose the ones with the best looking seals, the shallowest grooves from old canning. I posted a question here a while back, about some new jars with lids that had been stored on a warm porch where they sealed and unsealed themselves many times. When I pried the lids off, they had visible grooves. But I was advised to go ahead and simmer them and use them, and I didn't have any trouble with them. Again, high acid, BWB only. Edit: I mean, the one piece Lids from the 80s were marketed as reusable. Up to four times, if I remember correctly.