Tips When Using a Vacuum Sealer for Perishable Food Items

17 February 2016
 Categories: Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog

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Vacuum sealing is a common packing method for a number of food items. It allows for a seal to be created after all air has been removed from the package or bag. Vacuum sealing is common because it allows for food to stay fresher for longer periods of time and is one of the most cost effective packing methods available. The natural flavors and nutrients within foods are preserved through vacuum sealing and it is also possible to ensure that foods do not become freezer burned if they are vacuumed seal properly. It is important for you to understand how to properly vacuum seal perishable food items to allow for the most effective packaging option.

Liquids

It is important that all liquid foods that you want to vacuum seal are frozen before you begin the sealing process. It is never a good idea to attempt to seal foods that are still in liquid form. A vacuum sealer will function by sucking the air out of the bag, which is impossible if there is liquid within the bag. The liquid will be pulled into the vacuum sealer along with the air. This has the ability to ruin the vacuum sealer over time. Freezing liquid foods before you begin the vacuum sealing process allows you to avoid this mishap altogether.

Filling

It is also important that you are aware of how full you should fill the bag before you begin vacuum sealing. You want to make sure that you are not wasting any available space within the bag, but you also want to be sure that you are not overfilling. When you overfill a bag, you do not have the ability to obtain a proper seal. This means that you should always allow for about a few inches of open space at the top of the bag that is sufficient for creating a proper seal. As long as a few inches of space are present, you should have no issues when vacuum sealing a bag of food.

Smooth

When you are using a vacuum sealer, it is important that you make sure that the bag is entirely smooth when you start removing the air. Wrinkling during the sealing process is the main culprit for not removing all air from the bag, but this problem can be avoided if you make sure that the bag is smooth when you are removing the air. Food spoilage is more likely if pockets of air exist within the bag through wrinkling, which means that all wrinkles need to be smoothed out.

Contact your vacuum sealer's manufacturer to learn more.