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FOOD STORAGE AND SAFETY INFORMATION
This Vacuum Sealer will change the way you purchase and store foods. Once you are
accustomed to vacuum packing, it will become an indispensable part of your food pre-
paration. When preparing and vacuum packing foods using your vacuum sealer, there are
certain procedures that must be followed to ensure food quality and safety. Review this
section carefully for you protection:
1.
Chemical reactions in the food to air, temperature, moisture, and enzyme action, grow-
th of microorganisms or contamination from insects will cause food spoilage.
2.
The main element to cause food to lose nutritive value, texture, flavor, and overall
quality is oxygen in the air. Most micro-organisms growth relies on air, for it will carry
moisture into and out of foods unless they are protected with moisture-proof packing.
Frozen foods being exposed to freezer air will result in freezer burn.
3.
The vacuum seal packing removes up to 90% of the air from the package. It’s approxi-
mately 21% oxygen in the air, so 90% air removal leaves a 2% to 3% residual oxygen level
in vacuum-sealed foods. When the oxygen level is at or below 5%, as you know, most
microorganisms are inhibited from growth
4.
In general, there have three categories microorganisms: mold, yeast and bacteria, they
are present everywhere, but only under certain conditions they can cause problems.
5.
In a low oxygen environment or in the absence of moisture, mold can’t grow; In mois-
ture, Sugar and a moderate temperature circumstance, yeast can grow with or without
air. Refrigeration will slow the growth of yeast and freezing stops it completely; Bacteria
can grow with or without air.
6.
One of the extremely dangerous type of bacteria is clostridium botulinum, and they
can grow under the right conditions without air: in the temperature range of 40˚F to
115˚F(4˚to 46˚). Conditions for growth are foods lacking acid, low oxygen environment
and temperatures greater than 40˚F(4˚c) for extended time.
7.
Frozen, dried, high in acid, salt or sugar foods can resistant to botulinum. Non-acid
foods which include meats, seafood, lye-cured olives, poultry, fish, eggs and mushrooms;
low-acid foods which are mostly vegetables; medium-acid foods include overripe toma-
toes, onions, chili peppers, figs and cucumbers are easy be infected by botulinum;
8.
It should be refrigerated for short term and frozen for long-term storage, for the foods
most susceptible to botulinum, and consume immediately after heating.
9.
Some dried foods, such as flour and cereals may contain insect larvae, if do not va-
cuum-sealed, larvae may hatch during storage and contaminate the foods. To prevent
weevils and other insects from hatching, store these foods in vacuum seal package is
necessary.
10.
Avoid spoilage: foods should be stored at low temperatures, for few of the microor-
ganisms could growth without air.
11.
If Temperatures in the refrigerator greater than 40˚F (4˚C) (especially for extended
