Different kinds of vacuum bags serve different purposes. Regular vacuum bags are fine for dry foods such as grains or nuts. However, if you’re storing wet foods like marinated meats or soups, you should use thicker bags designed for moisture. Some special vacuum bags designed for storing spices or dried fruits even have light and oxygen barriers, making them perfect for long-term storage. Do not confuse them with tea bags or chip bags; those bags are not designed for long-term vacuum storage.
Before you pack the food, make sure the vacuum bags are clean, as well as dry. For meats, use paper towels to pat them dry and remove moisture. If you are storing fruits or vegetables, you need to blanch them. Blanching is a cooking technique that involves briefly boiling food to inactivate enzymes, in this case, to pause the aging process. Cut large food items into smaller and more manageable pieces that easily fit into bags. Do not use a vacuum sealer on hot food since it needs to cool down, and hot food tends to generate steam that can ruin the vacuum seal.
While vacuum bags have a simple mechanism for sealing, it is not difficult to over stuff them with food. While this vacuum pack using a bag technique is handy, over stuffing vacuum bags is not a good idea.
Leave a 2 to 3 inch gap at the top of the food bag. This space allows for a proper seal to be made. Also, if the bag is overfilled, packing the food too tightly may block the seal, causing air to enter. Fresh air in a bag decreases the items lifespan. Overfilled bags make it hard to store items neatly and in a stacked manner. Much like snack bags, clutter free space aids in maintaining freshness.
Effective sealing is the make or break to the efficiency of vacuum bags. Adhere to the guidelines provided with your vacuum sealer. During the sealing process, check if the sealing area of the bag is spotless and dry. It should be free of crumbs, food particles, and liquids. If there is clutter, the seal won’t be airtight. In some cases, you may have to seal the bag twice to ensure there is no air leakage. In relation to a bag of coffee, tightly sealed bags helps retain freshness.
Maintaining vacuum-sealed food requires proper storage. Food items stored with the vacuum-seal need to be kept in the refrigerator or the freezer. Items stored in vacuum-sealed bags won’t suffer from freezer burn. Dry food items, such as a bag of rice or pasta, need to be stored in a well ventilated and cool place.
As with pet food bags, store pet food bags away from heat and sunlight. Even when vacuum sealed, food can still be spoiled when exposed to high temperatures over time.
Before you put food in a vacuum bag, check for rips and tears. While a small hole may not seem a big deal, it will still lead to air entering the bag. If the bag is damaged, use a new one. It’s best to check the seals after a few days of storage too. If a seal is broken, re-seal the food in a new bag as quickly as possible. This is like checking child-resistant bags: you want to be sure the packaging is doing its job.
You can sometimes reuse vacuum bags, but you must be careful. Only use bags that held dry, non-greasy foods like crackers and bread. If the bags held raw meat, fish, or greasy foods, do not use them again. While reusing bags can help save money, it becomes dangerous if the bag makes food unsafe.
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