| Author: Ján Chovanec | Reading time: 6 min |
All products from the Vapak e-shop are manufactured in the EU and certified for contact with food. The minimum guaranteed thickness of 90 µm ensures strength
and durability even in the temperature-demanding conditions of a refrigerator or freezer.
The bags and rolls have a structured surface. This structure serves as a path for the air sucked out of the packaging during vacuuming. However, in order for the whole process to run correctly,
it is necessary to adhere to several principles.
| ℹ️ What are the main advantages of vacuum packaging food? |
(Not) Leaving a margin
When packaging, the flow of extracted air must be taken into account. Although it comes out of the bag mainly through the notches and grids on the surface, it is also necessary to provide space around the food that we are packaging.
Ideally, it should be a few centimeters. When the air is extracted, the bag shrinks and envelops the contents. If there is little margin in it, it may burst, especially if there are sharp objects such as bones. The volume of food may also change slightly when cooling or freezing.
If we are packaging meat, grease or its juice may get into the seam. Therefore, it is important to leave space on all four sides.
Excessive moisture content
If the contents of the goods are too juicy or fatty, partial moisture release may occur during vacuuming. In addition to the aforementioned reserve, completely drying the food before packaging will help. If, for example, it is a very juicy piece of meat, it is possible to pack an absorbent material, such as a paper or clean cloth towel, directly with the food. If your packaging machine has a self-sealing function, it is also advisable to make an additional, reinforcing seal on the bag for safety.
Excessive moisture leads to insufficient air extraction and also to a deterioration in the seal. This can result in a deterioration in the success of vacuuming and a loss of the properties that this method of packaging brings, in particular the slowing down of the spoilage process. With some types of meat, juice or blood may only be released after a period of time after packaging. In this case, it is not a defect and the humidity will not affect the quality of the packaging.
| 🔴 Important: it is necessary to prevent moisture from getting into the pump of the package, as this could damage it. In addition to the methods already mentioned, this can be prevented by tilting the bag correctly, i.e. so that it points from the bottom up towards the pump. |
(In)Correct bag or roll size
When specifying the dimensions of bags and rolls in our e-shop, the first information given is always the width in the place where we attach the strip to the package. When choosing the right size, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of this strip.
Vacuum packages that you can buy in the Vapak e-shop have a width of more than 300 millimeters. Products that we encounter on the shelves of retail chains often have a narrower strip, usually 25 to 28 centimeters, which means that the use of bags and rolls with a width of 300 millimeters is no longer possible.
The advantage of rolls is a greater degree of versatility. The user chooses the length of the package he needs and cuts it off, or cuts it off at this point and seals it with another weld at this point before packaging. On the other hand, bags are more comfortable, there is no need to worry about sealing, and it is faster to pack the same foods in a row.
The second dimension of the products is the length, you can only find it in bags, where it is fixed. In the case of rolls, the length of the entire roll is 6 meters. There are two such rolls in the package. In both cases, for rolls and bags, the performance of the package itself, or rather its pump, must also be taken into account. This figure is given in liters extracted per minute.
| ℹ️ In addition to bags, our offer also includes vacuum packs, which can be purchased as a discounted starter set with bags. |
Reusing the bags?
Theoretically, it is possible for rolls and bags, but we do not recommend it, especially for hygiene reasons. In addition, the material shrinks during packaging, especially during cooling and freezing
and the properties of the material may not be preserved for repeated use.
Bags are consumables, their prices per piece (one packaged product) are in cents and that is not an amount worth
risking possible health complications.
| ℹ️ At Vapak.eu you will find a wide range of vacuum bags and rolls of various sizes. |
Other common mistakes
After the air is removed, the food is exposed to atmospheric pressure. In the case of packaging fragile foods, such as cookies or cakes, they may be deformed or completely crushed.
It is advisable to seal such foods in the package without removing the air, or to remove it only partially. All vacuum sealers from our offer have either a function of prematurely stopping the vacuuming, or have the option of fully controlling the air removal by manual control.
The final sealing of the package is done by a welding bar, which is part of the vacuum packer. It melts the foil of the bag at the welding point and immediately seals it tightly, creating an airtight seal. Since the device operates at high temperatures, it is necessary to leave a break of at least 1 to 2 minutes between each cycle so that the bar can cool down and prevent premature formation of a weld on the new bag.
In addition to structured bags, there are also those with smooth walls. However, these are designed for professional chamber packaging machines that work on a different principle than strip packs. Since the grooves on the surface of structured bags serve as channels for effective air extraction, with smooth ones, there should be no leakage and no vacuum would be created.
Vacuum is an environment with a minimal oxygen content. This description already shows that in foods packaged in this way, there is a fundamental reduction of microorganisms, bacteria, or mold, but not their complete cessation. Products stored in a vacuum have a significantly extended shelf life, but it is not possible to keep them this way forever. We recommend that you write the packaging date on the packaging when storing, especially in the freezer.
Examples of shelf life extension
| Product/storage method | Normal conditions | Vacuum packed |
| Free storage (+ 20° / + 25° C) | ||
| Bread | 1 - 3 days | 6 - 8 days |
| Dry cookies | 120 - 180 days | 360 days |
| Dry pasta/rice | 180 days | 360 days |
| Flour | 120 days | 360 days |
| Refrigerated at + 3° / + 5° C | ||
| Raw meat | 2 - 3 days | 6 - 9 days |
| Fresh fish | 1 - 3 days | 4 - 6 days |
| Salami | 4 - 6 days | 20 - 25 days |
| Hard cheese | 15 - 20 days | 30 - 60 days |
| Fresh fruit | 5 - 10 days | 14 - 20 days |
| Boiled pasta | 2 - 3 days | 6 - 10 days |
| Boiled meat | 3 - 5 days | 10 - 15 days |
| Frozen at - 18° / - 20° C | ||
| Meat | 120 days | 480 days |
| Fish | 90 days | 360 days |
| Fruits and vegetables | 300 days | 720 days |
Source: magicvac.com
| 💡 What are the main advantages of vacuum packaging food? |
| 💡 If you would like to learn more about Sous-Vide cooking technology, read our article Sous-Vide Cooking. |