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7
Storage Guide, Hints and Tips
Vacuum Packaging and Food Safety
The vacuum packaging 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:
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 packaged, and keep refrigerated after thawing.
The FoodSaver
™
Fresh Zipper Bags should be used for fresh storage
only (in the refrigerator or pantry) and not in the freezer.
It is important to note that vacuum packaging 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 packaged.
IMPORTANT
: Vacuum packaging is NOT a substitute for refrigeration
or freezing. Any perishable foods that require refrigeration must still
be refrigerated or frozen after vacuum packaging. To avoid possible
illness, do not reuse bags after storing raw meats, raw fish or greasy
foods.
Thawing and Reheating Vacuum
Packaged Foods
Always thaw foods in a refrigerator or a microwave
oven — do not thaw perishable foods at room
temperature.
To reheat foods in a microwave in a FoodSaver
™
Fresh Container,
release the vacuum valve and keep the lid on.
IMPORTANT:
FoodSaver
™
Fresh Zipper Bags should never be used
in microwave ovens to reheat foods or to thaw foods.
Preparation Guidelines
Meat
Beef may appear darker after vacuum sealing due to
the removal of oxygen. This is not an indication of
spoilage.
Hard Cheeses
To keep cheese fresh, vacuum seal it after each use.
When you’re ready to reseal the cheese, just place it
back into the FoodSaver
™
Fresh Container or Fresh
Zipper Bag and vacuum again.
IMPORTANT:
Due to the risk of anaerobic bacteria, soft cheeses
should never be vacuum sealed.
Vegetables
Vegetables must be blanched before vacuum sealing.
This process stops the enzyme action that could lead to
loss of flavour, colour and texture.
To blanch vegetables, place them in boiling water or in
the microwave until they are cooked, but still crisp. Blanching times
range from 1 to 2 minutes for leafy greens and peas; 3 to 4 minutes
for snap peas, sliced courgette or broccoli; 5 minutes for carrots; and
7 to 11 minutes for corn on the cob.
After blanching, immerse vegetables in cold water to stop the cooking
process. Finally, dry vegetables on a towel before vacuum sealing.
Note:
Some foods (including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,
cauliflower, kale, turnips and bananas) naturally emit gases during
storage. Therefore, after blanching, they must be stored in the freezer
only.
When freezing vegetables, it is best to pre-freeze them for 1-2 hours
or until solidly frozen. To freeze vegetables in individual servings,
first place on a baking sheet and spread them out so they are not
touching. This prevents them from freezing together in a block. When
frozen, remove the vegetables from the baking sheet and vacuum
seal vegetables in a FoodSaver
™
Fresh Container. After vacuum
sealing, return the vegetables to the freezer.
IMPORTANT:
Due to the risk of anaerobic bacteria, fresh mushrooms,
onions and garlic should never be vacuum sealed.
Leafy Vegetables
First wash the vegetables, and then dry with a towel or
salad spinner. After they are dried, put them in a
FoodSaver
™
Fresh Container and vacuum seal as
normal. Store in refrigerator.
