Who would have thought that your extra food could be another meal using just proper packing? That’s the gift vacuum seal has given to the households and commercial sector alike. But, only because you can store the leftovers in a sealed plastic bag using a Cryovac machine doesn’t mean you should be less careful. And if you want your food to remain fresh for a long time, keeping a few tips handy can help you with that!
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What Are the Crucial Tips to Keep in Mind While Sealing Edibles?
Vacuum sealing is a revolutionary step in the food packaging sector. Merely by reducing oxygen, the preservation rate of any edible goes up. And to make the process more effective, you have to follow the procedure correctly. So here’s how you do it:
1. Use Clean Utensils
If there are contaminants in the utensils carrying the edibles, they’ll get transferred to the plastic package. As such, even with the reduced level of oxygen, the food can still rot. That’s why you must be careful with the cleanliness of the containers for the food you want to seal. Besides, your kitchen shelf and counter can also transfer contaminants to your edibles, so keep them clean too!
2. Wash Your Hands First
Don’t make the mistake of viewing microscopic organisms as absent. Tiny germs can latch onto the food items and get inside the sealing packet. And your entire purpose of preserving the edibles will be in vain if that happens.
So, listen to the age-old advice from parents and wash your hands before touching food (or transferring).
3. Use Tongs and Spatula
There are so many steps involved between washing your hand and keeping the food in the Cryovac pack. And it’s best not to take any risks, and you must package your leftovers using tongs, spatula, or any other food-handling utensil.
4. Label the Food
Vacuum sealing only slows the process of bacterial growth. As such, your food won’t remain fresh for infinity. For this reason, you must label your sealed packages with the item stored and the day of expiration.
Note: The day till when you can eat the stored food varies depending on the type of item preserved. For instance, the expiration time of meat will be closer than soup.
5. Keep the Food in Your Fridge
Vacuum-sealed food remains fresh for even longer when stored in a cold place. Also, frozen edibles have an extended shelf life, and that’s why you must place your sealed packages in your fridge or freezer. However, you can store the dry food items at room temperature.
6. Check the Seal Within 24 Hours
Once the food items are packed using a Cryovac machine, they must remain sealed until you open them. That’s why it’s crucial for you to keep a tab on the seal joint within 24 hours of packaging. And if you find any tampering or unsealing, repack in a new plastic bag.
With vacuum sealing, the cooking time is getting reduced, and the commercial food spaces are finding it easy to prepare early for the next day’s delivery. However, the process requires some caution on your side.
By maintaining cleanliness and following proper packaging steps, you can make the best use of a Cryovac machine. Not only will you be able to get fresh snacks when you feel lazy, but you also remain distant from food-borne diseases.
