Take Advantage of Nature's Bounty: Consider Vacuum Seal

Schools that have access to local, fresh produce and who wish to take advantage of low prices during abundant supply and peak nutrition may want to consider vacuum sealing in-house processed and frozen fruits and vegetables. Vacuum sealing provides optimal preservation of these foods and allows their use in future child nutrition program meals.

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Processing fruits and vegetables through freezing in the school allows for control of salt, sugar, and fat, and the opportunity to customize spices being used to season the foods. The quality of the product is in your control. However, as with any food preparation, safe practices should be followed. This fact sheet identifies what school nutrition operators should consider when using a vacuum seal packaging system to ensure safe and quality products. Alternate packaging systems can be used, but product characteristics, quality, and other issues should be considered when making the decision.

An alternative option is to outsource processing. Some produce companies offer the custom service of cleaning, shelling, chopping, and freezing produce for districts, per your specifications. It would be worthwhile to compare the costs of processing your own produce versus having a produce company do it for you. For more information, see Food Safety Practices to Expect from Your Fresh-Cut Produce Processor.

Advantages of Vacuum Sealing

• Produce that is vacuum sealed is much less likely to become freezer burned, which is damage caused by dehydration and oxidation when air reaches the food, as the amount of oxygen present is reduced. Therefore, shelf life of processed foods is increased and quality improved.
• This technique allows for a quality product throughout the school year.
• Produce may be preserved with vacuum sealing and then refrigerated or frozen in amounts that work best for your school system with considerations of staff availability and space for processing and storing.
• Bags of cooked product may be reheated in hot water or steam while remaining in the vacuum bag, if specialized bags are used.
• Bags of fruits can be thawed in the refrigerator.

Food is a precious commodity. Vacuum packing is one of the best ways to store food, and it provides many benefits. You can find both portable, large-scale, and built-in vacuum sealers. The variety of different countertop and handheld vacuum packers on the market means that finding the perfect vacuum sealer for you and your price range is easier than ever. So whether you are vacuum packing food for domestic or commercial reasons, there are many advantages you can enjoy. This article will examine 9 of these useful benefits.

Preserve Food

Mould and bacteria need oxygen to grow.  Vacuum packaging machines preserve food by preventing the growth of mould or bacteria as vacuum packing deprives your food of oxygen. Vacuum packing food therefore greatly extends the lifespan of many different kinds of food items. For example, meat would normally last about 6 months in the freezer. However, if vacuum-sealed meat will last 2 - 3 years in the freezer. Refrigerating vacuum-sealed cheese will extend its shelf-life to 4 - 8 months, as opposed to the 1 - 2 weeks when stored using standard methods.

Protect Food From Freezer Burn

Vacuum sealing foods helps to protect them from freezer burn and dehydration. Freezer burn is a condition that occurs when air comes into contact with water crystals around food. Dehydration of the food then occurs which can affect the food’s flavour and texture. Vacuum sealing helps prevent this by keeping the air out of contact with the food. The vacuum pack bag protects your food from contact with any air, so no moisture can evaporate, making it an excellent barrier from the elements.

Seasonal Produce Year-Round

Another beneficial use of vacuum sealing is to store seasonal items, such as tomatoes or berries, for use during the wintertime. Vacuum packing these seasonal items is an easy way to have access to these items all year round, and they will still taste wonderfully fresh when out of season.

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Improved Organisation

Vacuum sealing creates efficient, organized packaging for food. Vacuum sealed food takes up less room in your refrigerator, freezer, or pantry. It also allows you to easily see and sort the foods you are storing. By vacuum sealing items and placing them stacked or together on the side, it saves room for more food items.

Add Flavour Through Marinating

Another great perk of vacuum sealing is that it can be used to marinate and season food to add lots of flavours. Add a marinade or seasoning mix to your food items and then vacuum seal for a fast and tasty boost in your cooking experience.  The vacuum packing seals in all the moisture and delicious flavours and directly marinates your food.

Saves Money

Being able to preserve food for longer means that there will be less food spoilage and therefore less wasted food. Vacuum sealing also allows for the option to buy food in bulk at a reduced cost and safely store it for future use. Buying food in bulk is an effective way to get better value for your money, and by then vacuum sealing portions, you can save a lot of money throughout the year. Vacuum packers allow you to store any leftover food which eliminates the need to throw out any food and gives you another easy meal for the future.

No Chemicals Needed

Unlike many other preservation techniques, vacuum packing food requires no need for nasty chemicals or other additives which may negatively affect your food and health. Vacuum packing allows you to buy fresh produce and then choose what spices and marinades (or none) are added into your vacuum-sealed package. This eliminates any unwanted chemicals and preservatives in foods, while still extending the food item’s shelf life.

Retains Flavour & Texture Of Food

Vacuum sealing retains the moisture, juices, and flavour of food. By removing all the air around the food item, the flavours, texture, and moisture of the food are better retained. Vacuum sealing will also help to preserve the nutritional value in stored food so there will be no loss in taste and adding a layer of protection around food items prevents it from becoming dehydrated.

Keeps Food Safe

Vacuum packing food means that the food is safely preserved, protected, and void of oxygen. Vacuum sealing removes most of the oxygen around the food item, which prevents chemical reactions triggered by oxygen to cause the food to spoil. This means that harmful mould and bacteria will be prevented from growing. The physical barrier around vacuum-packed food also prevents any potential cross-contamination.

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