Vacuum packaging is wrapping a product in film or bag with low oxygen permeability, from which air is removed and sealed by a seal.
10 golden rules
Freshness and shelf life optimized
10 golden rules for vacuuming
- Old vacuum meat is not sealable. When re-vacuuming meat, make a so-called "collar" on the vacuum bag by folding it in half a bit.
- The oil of a vacuum machine should be changed at least twice a year. If there are air bubbles or moisture deposits in the oil level glass, change the oil. Run the machine for about half an hour and then change the oil again.
- The teflon (adhesive strip) on the seal bar serves to make a good seal. If the teflon is burned through, apply new teflon. This does not require a mechanic.
- The vacuum pump is the most important part of the machine. The vacuum range (Torr) is marked on the pump. The vacuum range should not be less than 99.7 percent.
- Proper adjustment of the machine is very important. The seal seam must not be able to be pulled open and the bag must be tight around the product. Pay attention not to the gauges, but to the packed product. Seal no folds.
- Never use coloring agents on meat to be vacuumed.
- Place vacuumed meat on its side in the stacking racks with the fat facing up. Do not stack because of drip.
- Do not accept offers of cheap vacuum bags; it can cost you a lot of money. Vacuum rather not than poorly. Remember the following maxim: "The annoyance of poor quality persists when the joy of low price is long forgotten."
- A good vacuum bag is also needed for a short storage time. The vacuumed product deteriorates in quality faster than you think.
- Printed vacuum bags with your own company name or vignette enhance presentation and differentiate homemade products from factory products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q&A
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What is vacuum packaging?
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What is vacuum packaging for?
For food products, vacuum packing primarily serves to extend the shelf life of the product while maintaining quality. For fresh meat and various types of cheese, vacuum packing is also used to mature the products. For corrosion- and dust-sensitive technical parts, vacuum packing is a good solution.
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What products can be vacuum packed?
Meat and sausage products, cheese, fish, spices, flavorings, chemical products, etc. Also technical parts of e.g. computers and even money are vacuum packed.In short a variety of products can be vacuum packed.
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What materials are the packaging made of?
Most vacuum bags or films are multilayered with a PE sealing layer and a PA air barrier layer. For an even better air barrier, EVOH can be added.A less airtight PET film with PE whether or not supplemented with EVOH is also used.
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How important is the choice of materials?
The shelf life and quality of vacuumed products are directly affected by the amount of air left in the packaging. When choosing the material, it is important to pay attention to air permeability. Price should be secondary to this.
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Does it require special equipment?
Vacuuming requires a vacuum machine. The products are manually packed in vacuum bags and then automatically vacuumed and sealed by the machine. There are also fully automatic thermoforming machines that make a bag from a bottom and top film around the product and vacuum at the same time. Tray packing machines can often also be used for vacuum packing but are often used for gas packaging.
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Are there alternatives to vacuuming?
As an alternative, "gas packing" is often mentioned. However, gas packaging (MAP) is complementary to vacuum packaging. After all, after the package is made airless, a gas mixture is injected into the package. Vacuuming and/or gas packaging can usually be done with the same equipment.
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Does it require special knowledge on the part of the packer?
The adjustments of the machine are very important: too often the packaging does not meet the requirements because, for example, the seal does not seal the bags properly or the film in the thermoformer is not formed properly. In addition to a good airtight film or bag, knowledge of the machine is a must.
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When vacuuming, is material reduction possible?
A material reduction is possible for most products provided it does not compromise the airtightness of the bag or film. Material reductions of 10% have already been realized at some foil/bag suppliers.
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What is the trend in vacuum packaging?
The trend is gas packaging (MAP). Remarkable here is that for various products the thin soft bottom film is being replaced by a much thicker hard film from which a tray is made. This is a clear increase in packaging material.
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