Vacuum packaging is very common in daily life, from supermarket shelves to hot products on the Internet, vacuum packaged food seems to have become a symbol of modern people’s pursuit of convenience and safety. But in daily life, we often find that after the use of vacuum packaging, food is still quickly deteriorated, why is this? How to avoid it?
First, let’s look at the principle of vacuum packaging. Vacuum packaging is a food packaging technology that extends the shelf life of food by removing the air inside the package to create a vacuum state. This packaging method can reduce the contact of food with air, moisture and microorganisms during storage and transportation, slowing the oxidation, mildew and bacterial growth of food. Vacuum packaging is often used in meat, fruits and vegetables, dry goods, seafood and other foods, and is also widely used in the preservation and packaging of other products, such as medical products, electronic components and so on.
However, vacuum packaging is not foolproof.
There are several possible reasons why food may still deteriorate rapidly after vacuum packaging:
Incomplete packaging: If the air in the package is not completely removed when the food is vacuum-packed, a certain amount of oxygen will be left, which can promote the growth of microorganisms and the oxidation of food, resulting in food deterioration.
Packaging damage: Vacuum packaging bags may be slightly damaged during storage or transportation, which will allow air to penetrate, destroy the vacuum environment, and increase the risk of food spoilage.
Microbial contamination: If the food has been contaminated with microorganisms before packaging, even in a vacuum environment, some anaerobic microorganisms can still grow, leading to food spoilage.
Chemical deterioration: Some foods may undergo chemical deterioration that is not caused by microorganisms, such as the oxidation of fats, even under hypoxic conditions.
Improper storage temperature: Temperature has an important impact on the shelf life of food. If vacuum-packed food is not stored at the right temperature, such as refrigerated or frozen products are not properly refrigerated, it will accelerate food spoilage.
The food itself has a short shelf life: even if some food is vacuum-packed, due to its own characteristics, it can only stay fresh for a short time, especially those perishable foods.
In order to extend the shelf life of vacuum packaged food, the following points need to be done:
First, choose the right packaging materials. It is important to choose the appropriate vacuum packaging materials, which should have good barrier properties to prevent the penetration of oxygen and water. At the same time, pay attention to the thickness of the packaging, vacuum packaging is not the thicker the better, too thick packaging in the vacuum may appear bad sealing situation, affecting the final effect.
Cleaning and pretreatment. Before packaging, ensure that the surface of the food is dry and clean. If necessary, pre-treat the food to avoid packaging with excess liquid or grease, so as not to affect the vacuum.
Third, vacuum degree and sealing. Use a professional vacuum packaging machine to extract as much air as possible from the package, and then firmly seal it. This helps extend the shelf life of the food and reduces the chance of bacterial growth. At the same time, appropriate parameters should be selected according to the material, thickness and type of packaging products of vacuum packaging to avoid problems such as loose sealing, air leakage, and broken bags.
Temperature control: vacuum-packed food should be stored at a suitable temperature, usually refrigerated or frozen, depending on the type of food and the expected shelf life.
Avoid mechanical damage. During packaging, transportation and storage, care should be taken to avoid mechanical damage to the food, because the damaged parts are easy to be eroded by bacteria.
Post time: Feb-27-2024