If you are part of either the food processing or food service industry, there is a good chance that
you already know the advantages of vacuum packaging. It has been used with success for many
years as a safe and cost effective method for extending shelf life and maintaining the quality of
food products. If vacuum packaging is new to your home or business, you will soon wonder how
you lived without it!
Whether you are a beginner or expert, there are certain basic guidelines that should always be
followed in order to package foods safely for consumption. Neglecting these basic guidelines can
result in food spoilage, and in some cases, illness or death. Once you familiarize yourself with
the machine procedures, you will feel at ease using the VACMASTer
®
VP120 Vacuum Packaging
Machine and enjoy a higher quality of stored foods.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
• Package only fresh foods. Do not package old or rancid foods. An already bad product does
not improve with vacuum packaging.
• Fresh foods (meats, vegetables, cheeses, etc.) should be refrigerate
d at 34˚F or below or
frozen after vacuum packaging.
• Vacuum packaging removes a high percentage of air which is 21% oxygen. This slows the
growth of most living microorganisms, such as aerobic bacteria and molds, which degrade food.
However, some forms of bacteria, such as clostridium botulinum (responsible for botulism), are
anaerobic and grow in the absence of oxygen.
• The foods susceptible to botulinum should be refrigerated for the short term and frozen for
long-term storage. Consume immediately after heating.
•
• All perishable foods must be refrigerated or frozen to prevent spoilage.
• Vacuum packaging is not a substitute for canning.
Vacuum Packaging Overview
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