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FOOD SAFETY
Vacuum-packaging
When vacuum-packaging food in vacuum-storage boxes, most of the surrounding air is extracted whilst
the inflow of fresh air is being prevented. This way the storage life of food is lengthened.
Vacuum-packaging helps to prevent freezer burn, which is the dehydration of the surface layer of the
food. This is characterised by white or brown-red discolouration of the food.
Vacuum-packaging contributes to the preservation of the taste and the overall quality of the food. It
slows the growth of aerobic micro-organisms that could cause:
Mould. As mould won’t grow in environments with little oxygen, the vacuum-packaging will
strongly reduce the risk of moulding.
Fermentation. Fermentation can be noticed by the odour or taste of the food. Fermentation
requires water and sugar and will develop at room temperature. Fermentation can also develop
when air is lacking. In order to slow the yeast growth items should be cooled, only at deep-freezing
temperature, this growth will come to a halt.
Bacteria. Bacterial growth can often be recognised by a nasty smell, discolouration and a soft or
slimy layer. Under specific circumstances, clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism, can grow
without air. This is rare, but also extremely dangerous. You can neither smell nor taste it.
The vacuum-packaging is no replacement for cooling or deep-freezing. Perishable foods that require
cooling or freezing, must still be kept in the refrigerator or freezer.
Deep-freezing
In order to safely preserve foods, it must be kept at low temperatures. The growth of micro-organisms
is strongly reduced at temperatures of 4°C and below. At a temperature of -17°C, growth will nearly
come to a full stop. This does however not kill the micro-organisms.
If you wish to store your vacuum packed food long-term, then always place it in the freezer.
Verify
Always check if food is spoiled, before consuming it. You must realise that vacuum-packaging cannot
undo spoilage. Vacuum-packaging only ensures that the quality of food is retained longer. How much
longer you can preserve the food, depends on different factors, such as the quality of the food at the
time of packaging. We advise to only package fresh food and mention the date of packaging on the
package.
