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We are going all out for the job Zero wasteand vacuum packing food is about the best way to store excess food groceries by to go bad.
The shelf life of some foods is extended by weeks, even months, when they are vacuum-sealed in plastic to remove air and placed in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry. But other foods do not respond well to vacuum-sealing and can actually cause the food to spoil faster or develop botulism and other harmful toxins.
Charles Haverfield, a food packaging expert at Packaging and wrapping work in the USAshared his tips for vacuum packing and why you should never use this household shrink-wrap process to preserve certain foods.
Soft and unpasteurized cheese
Brie: Be careful when vacuum packing soft cheeses.
According to Haverfield, soft cheeses should not be vacuum-packed because they “can harbor anaerobic bacteria, which thrive without oxygen.” Cheeses such as Camembert, Brie, feta and soft mozzarella are susceptible to this condition and should be eaten as soon as possible after purchase.
If they are vacuum packed, they can develop an unpleasant odor when you open them again. It is best to keep these cheeses in their original packaging.
Read more: Store Cheese Properly and You’ll Extend Its Shelf Life by Days, Even Weeks. Here’s How
Vegetables, raw and cooked
There are clever ways to store fresh and cooked vegetables, but vacuum packing is not one of them.
Some produce runs the risk of spoiling just a few days after you bring it home — looking at you, avocados — but vacuum-sealing isn’t the answer. “Cooked and raw vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage release gas as they’re stored,” Haverfield says, “and vacuum-sealing can cause gas buildup, which can cause the bag to burst.
“To preserve vegetables properly, you should freeze them. Do this by first blanching them in boiling water for 2 minutes. [to] 5 minutes, depending on the vegetable, and then immediately place them in an ice bath for the same amount of time to stop the cooking process. This will help preserve their color, texture, and nutritional value. Dry them thoroughly before freezing on a flat tray and store in a resealable, airtight bag.”
read more: Save Money at the Grocery Store by Extending the Shelf Life of Your Food. Here’s How
Fermented foods
Kimchi goes well with almost anything, but it doesn’t make a great vacuum-packed dish.
Just like raw and cooked vegetables, fermented foods release gases that expand in the airtight vacuum bag. The risk is that this could explode in your refrigerator, leaving you with a pungent mess to clean up in your fridge.
It is best to store fermented foods as directed in the glass jar they were purchased in, or if you made them yourself, store them in a resealable container. Gases are released every time the jar or container is opened.
Raw mushrooms
It is best to store raw mushrooms in a paper bag in the refrigerator.
Vacuum packing is supposed to keep food fresh longer, but that’s not always the case. “Mushrooms can actually spoil faster when vacuum packed,” Haverfield explains. “They have a lot of moisture and can get slimy very quickly when they’re in an airtight container.”
The best place to store mushrooms is a brown paper bag in the refrigerator.
Raw garlic and onion
Raw garlic and onions can develop botulism if vacuum packed.
Raw garlic and onion are the building blocks of so many dishes, so every chef wants to have them on hand. That said, if you have too much on hand, don’t vacuum seal these tasty alliums or you risk botulismaccording to Haverfield, a potentially fatal disease. However, you can vacuum pack them if you freeze them first.
Berries
Most berries are too soft to vacuum pack.
Super soft foods are also not good candidates for vacuum packing, which explains the next two entries on this list. “Because of their softness,” Haverfield says, “berries are not suitable for vacuum packing and the pressure will crush them, damaging their outer skin and causing them to spoil faster.”
“Instead, rinse the berries in a colander, tossing them gently to drain all the water, and place them in an airtight container lined with paper towels.” You can also freeze them and use them later for a pie or smoothie.
Bananas
Soft bananas are suitable for baking bread, but nothing more.
Mushy, brown bananas may be good for baking banana bread, but they’re not great to eat. Haverfield explains how bananas can go mushy and brown when vacuum-packed due to their high ethylene gas production.
“To store bananas,” he continues, “it is best to first peel them and freeze them in slices or chunks on a flat tray covered with plastic wrap. Then place them in a resealable, airtight bag for long-term storage.”
For more kitchen tips, see the 7 Foods You Should Never Put in an Air Fryer and learn how to stained cookware shiny again with ingredients you can find in the pantry.
