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1312
Vacuum Sealing and Food Safety
The vacuum sealing process extends the life of foods by removing most
of the air from the sealed container, thereby reducing oxidation, which
affects nutritional value, flavour and overall quality. Removing air can also
inhibit growth of microorganisms, which can cause problems under certain
conditions:
Mould – Easily identified by its fuzzy characteristic. Mould cannot grow in a
low oxygen environment, therefore vacuum sealing can slow the growth of
mould.
Yeast – Results in fermentation, which can be identified by smell and taste.
Yeast needs water, sugar and a moderate temperature to grow. It can also
survive with or without air. Slowing the growth of yeast requires refrigeration,
while freezing stops it completely.
Bacteria – Results in an unpleasant odour, discolouration and/or soft or slimy
texture. Under the right conditions, anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium
Botulinum (the organism that causes Botulism) can grow without air and
sometimes cannot be detected by smell or taste. Although it is extremely rare,
it can be very dangerous.
To preserve foods safely, it is critical that you maintain low temperatures. You
can significantly reduce the growth of microorganisms at temperatures of 4°C
or below. Freezing at -17°C does not kill microorganisms, but stops them from
growing. For long-term storage, always freeze perishable foods that have
been vacuum sealed, and keep refrigerated after thawing.
It is important to note that vacuum sealing is NOT a substitute for canning and
it cannot reverse the deterioration of foods. It can only slow down the changes
in quality. It is difficult to predict how long foods will retain their top-quality
flavour, appearance or texture because it depends on age and condition of
the food on the day it was vacuum sealed.
Food Preparation & Reheating Tips
Thawing and Reheating
Vacuum-Sealed Foods
Always thaw foods in either refrigerator or microwave — do not thaw perishable
foods at room temperature.
To reheat foods in a microwave in a FoodSaver
®
Bag, always cut corner of the
bag before placing it on a microwave-safe dish. However, to avoid hot spots, do
not reheat bone-in meat or greasy foods in microwave within a FoodSaver
®
Bag.
You can also reheat foods in FoodSaver
®
Bags by placing them in water at a low
simmer below 75°C.
Preparation Guidelines
for Meat and Fish:
For best results, pre-freeze meat and fish for 1-2 hours before vacuum sealing
in a FoodSaver
®
Bag. This helps retain the juice and shape, and guarantees a
better seal.
If it’s not possible to pre-freeze, place a folded paper towel between meat or fish
and top of bag, but below seal area. Leave paper towel in bag to absorb excess
moisture and juices during vacuum sealing process.
NOTE: Beef may appear darker after vacuum sealing due to the removal of oxygen. This is not an
indication of spoilage.
Preparation Guidelines for Hard Cheeses:
To keep cheese fresh, vacuum seal it after each use. Make your FoodSaver
®
Bag
extra long, allowing 2.5cm of bag material for each time you plan to open and
reseal in addition to the 8cm room you normally leave between contents and
seal. Simply cut sealed edge and remove cheese. When you’re ready to reseal
the cheese, just drop it in bag and reseal.
IMPORTANT:
Due to the risk of anaerobic bacteria, Soft cheeses should never be vacuum sealed.
IMPORTANT:
Vacuum sealing is NOT a substitute for refrigeration or freezing.
Any perishable foods that require refrigeration must still be refrigerated or frozen after
vacuum sealing.
Guidelines
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