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Vacuum packaging removes air from waterproof plastic bags to reduce oxidation and prevent spoilage, extending the shelf life of perishable foods. It also reduces bacterial growth and freezer burn. Vacuum-packed foods still require refrigeration, and vacuum packing is not a substitute for heat sterilization.
Vacuum packaging is the process of packing items, especially perishable products such as meats and other foods inside a waterproof plastic bag, removing as much air as possible from inside the package. Removing air from within the food reduces oxidation of the food and helps prevent spoilage. Vacuum-packed foods stay fresher for much longer than foods packaged by other means. Vacuum packaging is also used to shrink most non-food items for greater storage efficiency.
The meat industry, in particular, makes extensive use of vacuum packaging. This technology allowed meat to be packaged and kept fresh for a longer period of time than other methods allow, allowing meat to be shipped over greater distances and meat to be brought to otherwise inaccessible markets. Other types of foods are also kept fresh with this method, such as coffee, seafood, and many dry foods. Household machines allow people to vacuum pack their food.
The machines wrap and seal the food in the plastic while removing the air from the package. Removing the air from the package prevents oxidation, which is the reaction of oxygen with food. Oxidation is a key component in the spoilage process. Even foods that don’t rot and go rancid, but simply go stale, can benefit from vacuum packing, as the absence of air prevents the foods from absorbing moisture.
Bacterial growth is also reduced by vacuum packaging. Because the foods are packaged under controlled hygienic conditions, bacteria are kept away from the food, preventing many harmful bacteria from breaking down the food. The action of bacteria on food is another primary component of food spoilage. Yeasts and molds, which require oxygen, also have reduced growth in vacuum-packed foods.
Vacuum packing frozen foods also helps reduce the incidence of freezer burn. Freezer burn can occur when moisture is absorbed from food and the food oxidizes and dehydrates. Vacuum-packed frozen foods resist freezer burn due to the absence of air in the package.
Foods that require refrigeration under normal conditions will still require it even when vacuum packed. Vacuum packaging slows food spoilage by removing air and eliminating available oxygen, but there are harmful organisms that do not require oxygen and still act on food. The action of these organisms is slowed down by refrigeration. Vacuum packaging does not replace refrigeration, but simply an aid to extend the shelf life of food.
Household machines also allow people to vacuum pack their food. Vacuum packing, however, does not in any way preserve or sterilize the food, it merely preserves the condition of the foods when they are packaged. This means that vacuum packing is not a substitute for heat sterilizing canned foods at home.
