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4.
BENEFITS OF VACUUM PACKING
4.1. WHAT IS VACUUM?
Oxygen provokes chemical changes on the food and as
a consequence grease can go rancid, colour of the food
changes, mould and bacteria multiply, fl avour, vitamins,
aroma and minerals are lost. Vacuum packing drama
tically slows down such undesired effects, prolongs the
shelf life of food and preserves its quality.
The advantage of storing food deep frozen is in pre
serving its essence – vitamins, minerals and taste.
Besides, at temperatures between 30°C and 40°C
the texture of raw food changes only to a minimum
extent (e.g. meat). Food should be frozen as quickly
as possible, because if you freeze it slowly, big ice cry
stals form on the surface. They overgrow food cells and
subsequently damage their structure. When you freeze
food quickly, small ice crystals form and they do not da
mage the food to such an extent. If possible, freeze food
at a constant temperature (–18°C at the most). Some
foods have to be blanched (scalded) in order to avoid
unwanted changes during freezing or deeply refrigera
ting (enzyme activation, ceased germination). Blanched
or in any other way heattreated foods must be chilled
before freezing. Otherwise, already stored food can
start thawing and become damaged or vacuum in the
vacuum containers can be lost. To ensure better quality
of stored fruit, use sugar as additive. This also preser
ves the aroma and the colours. In the freezer, contain
ers should be kept as close together as possible.
Signs of freezer burn are rancid meat, rotten vegetables
and tasteless fruit. Freezer burn appears when the pa
ckaging is permeable to air (common oneply PE bags)
and frozen food comes into contact with oxygen. Con
sequently water evaporates and the surface of frozen
food dries out. Oxygen penetrates through the porous
cracks and initiates oxidation. As a consequence, food
loses its aroma and fresh taste. You can recognize
freezer burn by the white and dun stains on the food.
4.3. DEEP FROZEN OR CHILLED
Thawing should be a slow (most suitable is thawing in
the refrigerator) and natural process. It should not be
forced (as thawing in hot water or in the microwave).
Once the food is defrosted, it should not be refrozen.
When refreezing, mechanical damages occur and food
can perish more quickly. Taste, colour and aroma are
decomposed. Microorganisms (bacteria, mould) multi
ply much faster. These consequences cannot be elimi
nated by refreezing. It is therefore recommended that
once the foods are thawed, they should be used as
soon as possible.
4.4. THAWING
4.2. WHAT IS FREEZER BURN?
Sous Vide cooking is a cooking technique where food is
cooked in vacuumpacked bags immersed in hot water.
The Sous Vide technique provides a superior fl avour of
your homecooked food, where foods optimally retain
their natural taste, colour and texture.
The best Sous Vide vacuum bags on the market are the
ones that have the perfect combination of materials
(airtight Polyamide and foodgrade Polyethylene) and
where the thickness of materials is just right. Status'
bags perfectly fulfi l both of these characteristics.
Food for Sous Vide cooking can be seasoned before
vacuum packing.
4.5. SOUS VIDE COOKING
