13
Vacuum Packaging and Food Safety
The vacuum packaging process extends the
life of foods by removing most of the air from
the sealed container. This reduces oxidation,
which affects nutritional value, flavour and
overall quality.
Removing air can also inhibit growth of micro
organisms, which can cause problems under
certain conditions such as mould, yeast and
bacteria.
IMPORTANT: Vacuum packaging is NOT a
substitute for refrigeration or freezing.
Beef
Any perishable foods that require refrigeration
must still be refrigerated or frozen after
vacuum packaging.
Thawing and Reheating Vacuum Packaged Foods
Always thaw foods in either refrigerator or
microwave — do not thaw perishable foods at
room temperature.
Reheating in a microwave
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.
Reheating in water
You can also reheat foods in FoodSaver
®
Bags
by placing them in water at a low simmer
below 75°C.
Vacuum Packaging Meat and Fish:
For best results, pre-freeze meat and fish
for 1-2 hours before vacuum packaging 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 in the bag, between meat/
fish and top of bag, below seal area. Leave
paper towel in bag to absorb excess moisture
and juices during vacuum packaging process.
Note:
Beef may appear darker after vacuum
packaging due to the removal of oxygen.
This is not an indication of spoilage.
Vacuum Packaging Hard Cheeses:
To keep cheese fresh, vacuum package it
after each use. To continue using the same
bag, when initially vacuum packaging the
cheese, ensure the FoodSaver
®
Bag is extra
long. Allow one inch of bag material for each
time you plan to open and reseal the bag in
addition to the 7cm space you normally leave
between contents and seal. Simply cut sealed
edge and remove cheese prior to use.
When you’re ready to repackage the cheese,
just drop it in bag and reseal.
IMPORTANT: Due to the risk of anaerobic
bacteria, Soft cheeses should never be vacuum
packaged.
Guidelines for Vacuum Packaging
