Experienced housewives know that there is nothing more economical than wholesale purchase of provisions. But this raises a natural question - where and how to keep the products purchased for future use? Of course, you can buy an additional freezer , or equip a special pantry, but even there supplies will gradually lose freshness by contacting with air, water vapor and other factors destroying their structure. Thus, the savings may not be at all economical, and all purchased for future use simply disappears. One of the ways of long-term storage of products is to store them in special vacuum bags. As is known, the airless medium is a reliable barrier against the oxidative action of oxygen and reproduction of putrefactive bacteria. The peculiarities of the choice of packages for the vacuum packing of products will be discussed in our article.
Types of vacuum bags for food storage
Speaking of food vacuum bags, one should distinguish between disposable and reusable packaging.
Disposable vacuum bags for food storage
For storage of products in warehouses and shops, disposable vacuum bags of different thicknesses are used, in which meat and fish cuts, various sausages, cheeses and smoked products are packed. The use of such packages is possible only under condition of acquisition of the special device - the vacuum packer (vacuum), which sucks out air from the bag and reliably seals the seam. In addition to industrial, there are also household vacuum packers, which differ from them in smaller dimensions and performance, and are also much cheaper. The process of using such a vacuum generator in general terms looks like this: from the roll, part of the package of the required size is separated, sealed on one side in a vacuum, and then the products stacked and sealed on the other side.
Reusable vacuum bags for food storage
If disposable vacuum bags are not recyclable and after opening are sent to the trash can, reusable vacuum bags with a valve can be used to store products up to 50 times in a row. The air from such packages is pumped out using a special pump. Such vacuum bags are very convenient to use for freezing and storing food in the refrigerator, as well as for baking. In addition, the use of reusable vacuum bags in the kitchen can significantly reduce cooking time. For example, if you put meat and marinade in such a package, the pickling process will be reduced several times and in 10-20 minutes you can start cooking meat. This is very convenient in case of unforeseen arrival of guests.
What do you need to remember when using vacuum bags for food storage?
Of course, the prospect of significantly extending the life of products looks pretty bright. But it should be remembered that vacuum packaging, although it allows you to store supplies 2-3 times longer, can not completely protect them from spoilage. Therefore, do not count on an indefinitely long shelf life.
- The most effective is the sealing of individual portions of products. For example, it is better to divide fish or meat into portions, and sausage and cheese should be evacuated in small portions.
- Products in vacuum bags can be laid out only carefully washed hands, or even better to use for this purpose sterile disposable gloves. Observance of these rules will help to significantly reduce the risk of development in vaccinated stores of pathogens of botulism and other deadly diseases.