Guidelines For Vacuum Packaging - FRESKO V8 Mode D'emploi

Guidelines for Vacuum Packaging

Vacuum Packaging and Food Safety
The vacuum packaging process extends the life offoods by removing most of the air from the sealed
container, thereby reducing oxidation, which affects nutritional value, flavor and overall quality.
Removing air can also inhibit growth of microorganisms, which can cause problems under certain
conditions.
Mold-
Easily identified by its fuzzy characteristic.Mold cannot grow in a low oxygen environment,
therefore vacuum packaging can slow the growth of mold.
Y east-
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 odor,discoloration 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 packaged, and keep refrigerated after thawing.
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 flavor, appearance or texture because it depends on age and
condition of the food on the day it was vacuumed 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.
IFood Preparation and Reheating Tips Thawing and Reheating Vacuum Pack-
aged 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 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 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
packaging process.
Note:
Beef may appear darker after vacuum packaging due to the removal of oxygen. This is not an
indication of spoilage.
Preparation Guidelines for Hard Cheeses:
To keep cheese fresh, vacuum package it after each use. Make your FoodSaver® Bag extra long,
allowing one inch of bag material for each time you plan to open and reseal in addition to the
101.6mm room you normally leave between contents and seal. Simply cut sealed edge and remove
cheese. 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.
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