Vaccum packaging and its use in food
"Vacuum packing is a method of packaging that removes air from the package prior to sealing. This method involves placing items in a plastic film package, removing air from inside and sealing the package. Shrink film is sometimes used to have a tight fit to the contents. #pmgengineering #foodprocessing #foodindustry #foodtechnology #foodscience #engineering #science"
Vacuum packaging is a method of food preservation in which the air — mainly oxygen — is removed from the pack before it is sealed. Removing the air limits the growth of microbes on the food, and this is what extends shelf life. For a processor, it is one of the simplest ways to buy additional product life without altering the recipe itself.
The commercial benefits follow from that extended product life. Vacuum packaging reduces weight loss by controlling evaporation, protects the product against contamination, preserves colour, and helps maintain and improve eating characteristics because longer ageing is possible inside vacuum bags. For meat and similar categories, that ageing window is often the reason the format is chosen in the first place.
Vacuum packaging does not replace the cold chain. Foods that normally require refrigeration or freezing must still be kept in the fridge or freezer after they have been vacuum packed, and adequate precautions are necessary when vacuum packing. PMG Engineering delivers end-to-end engineering design and construction management projects in the food and beverage industry, covering process engineering, project management, automation, food safety, and mechanical and electrical.