Food Storage at Home with Vacuum Sealers

Vacuum Sealing at Home

Modern advancements in technology has made preserving food in low oxygen environments easier than ever.

Since ancient times, humans have been looking for ways to make the food they have stay fresh longer. From classic preservation techniques like jerky, to ancient sealed pots to store food for the winter, finding the easiest ways to keep your food from going bad is a human past-time. While we have long known the benefits of preserving things with little to no oxygen, doing so at home has been a little bit of a struggle. Anyone who has tried their hand at canning or making preserves in jars will tell you the proccess is not difficult, but is a little time-consuming. With the invention of the modern vacuum sealing machine, reliability and long shelf life became a daily convenience. And with that normalization, came new ways of interacting with the world and the food we keep in it.

Vacuum sealing, both industrially and at home, has helped the worldwide production boom grow far past what would have been possible without high barrier films and sealing techniques.

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Why Vacuum Seal

Vacuum sealing and proper storage can help extend the shelf life of foods, along with minimizing package weight and space. By sealing your goods in a vacuum, you provide little to no energy for Aerobic Bacteria or Fungi to grow. This means your food stays fresh longer. Typically you will see vacuum sealers require special plastic bags to both seal around the products efficiently, as well as hold the vacuum without letting oxygen back into the pouch. This often overlooked aspect of packaging is where you have the most freedom of choice. Different vacuum sealing machines might provide the same end product in different ways, but a quality vacuum bag is key to getting the best results. Using high quality barrier materials ensures that you are not wasting any of the food you put in those bags. For most home vacuum sealing machines, you want to be on the lookout for a texttured bag. The thick cross-patern acts as a grip for the vacuum sealer to have while sealing, while also acting as channels for air tro escape. For those who have a vacuum sealer with a nozzel, you will need to look for smooth vacuum bags. Commercial units don't need the texture to get a good seal, and they allow the plastic to cling to the product in a vacuum better. Especially for those who want the security in knowing the food you have prepped is going to stay fresh for years to come, a vacuum sealer is a must for anyone looking to stock up.

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History of Home Vacuum Sealers

Professional quality seals in your kitchen. One of the first big models to take off in the U.S. was released by Fred Waring in 1958. While the technique had been around for a few decades, it was growing consumer trends that helped establish the vacuum sealer as a new tool for the home cook. By the 1970s, when other food storage equipment like refrigerators/freezers became more common household expectations, the vacuum sealer was a great add on - both for preservation and organization. Products like the Seal-a-Meal® showed the market beginning to encourage new uses for classic technology. People took their preserved foods and packaged them in ready to go meals - either to take on the go, or to throw in the oven. The advancements in material sciences made way for a whole new way of looking at your pantry and organizing your meals. Compared to the models from the '70s however, modern vacuum sealing machines like the FoodSaver® and CounterMate® offer an unmatched experience in reliability and ease of use.

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