Waste isn’t just a waste, it is any expensive cost to every business. VACUUM PACKING WILL REDUCE THOSE COSTS. Vacuum packing doesn’t suck! It saves.
There are two types of vacuum packers, the in-chamber type and the out of chamber. While both machines remove the air to preserve the product the chief differences are;
- The out of chamber machines are slower, so generally are for smaller volumes,
- The out of chamber machines only use channel bags, which are more expensive to manufacture and
- The out of chamber machines are completely unsuitable for liquids.
The five key reasons to vacuum pack are;
- Increased shelf life – by removing the oxygen any bacteria present has nothing to live off,
- Sous Vide cooking – can revolutionise the modern kitchen,
- Portion control – product can be packed in the volumes, that will most commonly be used.
- Improved product control – the sealed nature of vacuum packing means refrigeration won’t dry valuable product and freezers will not ‘burn’ the product and
- Faster and more effective marination – under vacuum the pours of the meat are ‘stretched’ open so that the marinate or dry rub penetrates the meat faster.
A vacuum packer can even make a business money, buy product when it is in abundant supply or it has special pricing and use it, when the returns can be higher.
Vacuum packing food will increase its shelf life by a factor of between two to four times. Being sealed in a vacuum there is little that can affect the product, maximising the product quality.
Vacuum packing is an essential component in sous vide cooking. Sous vide is an effect way to streamline kitchen processes and reduces wastage with energy efficiency. Sous vide can be as simple as cooking or par cooking or as complex as a completely knifeless kitchen. Sous vide is a cooking system that will not only maintain product quality it can effectively improve the food quality, i.e. slow cooked low-cost proteins.
Waste isn’t just a waste. It is any expensive cost to every business and to calculate the real cost of waste, all the factors in handling food need to be considered. Labour is used in handling the product multiple times, so unsold product has a level of wasted labour. The business must pay for the waste being disposed of. Accurate portioning will minimise waste and maintain the maximum product quality. It enables better organisation of the workday and to make use of downtime to obtain the maximum yield per man-hour. When buying food by weight the business pays for the moisture in that product so when the product dries out there is both an impact on the product quality and the value of that product.
Since it is isolated from external contaminants, vacuum packed food is stored under the best possible hygienic conditions. Simply put, when the product is sealed in a vacuum it is in a state of suspended animation where the product is being conserved. Product frozen after being vacuum packed will not develop surface crystallisation that leads to freezer burn. The quality and nutritional value of food in preserved when it is vacuum packed, waste (shrinkage) due to loss moisture (weight) caused by excess drying is eliminated.
Marination (and dry rub) is easier and faster when vacuum packed. It is more effective as less marinade can be used as the protein ‘stretches’ under the vacuum. The marinate or dry rub will penetrate the protein more deeply, more quickly.
Manufacturers like Sammic produce vacuum packers which only use a sensor control so settings for the machine are simpler. Quality machines come standard with a dry oil function, to increase the life of the oil and by only using the highest quality pumps they are high performing, robust and durable.
Modern high performance vacuum packers will include Bluetooth connectability to allow for fast and simple programmability. They will have the option of a thermal label printer to improve traceability. They will be fitted with an operating hours counter display to track the oil change schedule, that improves the durability of the machine. The most professional machines will incorporate, a H2O sensor to protect the machine from dangerous liquid spills. https://youtu.be/wPBM63RV8as
Some manufacturers offer the option of, packing in containers instead of single use bags. This will save on the cost of single use bags while offering solutions to a number of potential issues. Packaging foodstuffs in a protective atmosphere is useful not only for improving conservation and presentation conditions but also for packing fragile products that would not withstand airless packaging. Systems like Vac-Norm offer lids and specialised gastronorm pans than are fully reusable and allows for the food to be cooked and served from the same container, it is packed in. The Vac-Norm system reduces labour by reducing the need for food to be packed into and removed from, single use bags. Unused food can simply be re-vacuumed in the container it is in.
Gas flush can further improve the shelf life of product and is a standard option in a number of brands.
A vacuum packer can also be a culinary tool. There are a number of ways a vacuum packer can be used to make novel food options. White chocolate and peanut rocks;
Five tips to get the best from a vacuum packer.
- Regularly check the oil, looking to see that the oil colour has not changed. Quality machines will have an oil viewing window.
- Wipe clean the sealing bar every day or when dirty. A dirty sealing bar will burn degrading the bag seal quality.
- Wipe clean the chamber every day or when anything is spilt. Anything that is in the chamber can be sucked into the vacuum pump resulting in potentially high service costs.
- Always keep the machine level and NEVER tip the machine. The oil bath can spill and effect the machine resulting in potentially high service costs.
- Make sure the outside of bags are clean before vacuum packing. Soiled bags can burn the bag degrading the bag seal quality.
About the AuthorThis article was penned by Mark Minnis, who is highly trained in culinary technologies and a representative of Sammic Australia and Life Member Australian Culinary Federation (Qld.) Inc. Mark’s insights into modern kitchen operations, particularly in the area of vacuum packing and sous vide, stem from his extensive experience in the field.
For further information on how these technologies can assist in your culinary operations, please contact Sammic Australia, 23/91 Tulip Street Cheltenham Victoria 3192 (03) 9584-0933 E-mail : sales@sammic.com.au
Food safety temperature guidelines;
At 100ºC the most resistant micro-organisms die. Sterile products can be prepared.
65 ºC to 100ºC Micro-organisms stop reproducing and begin to die.
50ºC to 65ºC Some micro-organisms die.
20 ºC to 50ºC DANGER ZONE Micro-organisms reproduce quickly.
7 ºC to 20ºC Micro-organisms reproduce slowly.
0 ºC to 7ºC Micro-organisms reproduce very slowly. At 0ºC, qualities are sometimes maintained for 3 times longer than at 7ºC.
-10 ºC to 0ºC Micro-organisms can still reproduce.
-18 ºC to -10ºC Some moulds and fungi can reproduce.
-18ºC All microbiological activity stops.
Comments