FAQ Topics

How to order from us

Q	Can I order by mail or telephone?
A	For practical reasons, orders by mail or telephone is not possible.  All orders has to be made by you, in our web shop.

Q	How will I know my order has been received?
A	You will always receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your order within a few minutes after you have confirmed the order in our web shop.

more

FAQ - Vacuum sealing

Q

What is vacuum sealing?

A

Vacuum packing or vacuum packaging is a method of packaging that removes air from the package prior to sealing. Vacuum packing reduces atmospheric oxygen, limiting the growth of aerobic bacteria or fungi, and preventing the evaporation of volatile components. It is also commonly used to store of dry foods over a long period of time, foods such as cereals, nuts, cured meats, cheese, smoked fish, coffee, and potato chips (crisps). On a more short term basis, vacuum packing can also be used to store fresh foods, such as vegetables, meats, and liquids, because they inhibit bacterial growth.

Q	Can I cook vacuum sealed food in the bag?
A	Yes. In fact, there are many recipes out there for vacuum bag cooking. This is referred to as "Sous Vide," which translated means "under pressure." Cooking food in a vacuum sealed bag helps keep important nutrients in place and can actually improve the taste of the cooked product.

Q	Vacuum sealing saves money!
A	The average family throws away a lot of food per year. Why not use a vacuum sealer it could save you a lot of money. Keep food fresher for longer.

Q	How vacuum sealing prevents freezer burn
A	When foods are frozen without preparation, freezer burn can occur. It happens when the surface of the food is dehydrated, and this leads to a dried and leathery appearance. Freezer burn also ruins the flavor and texture of foods. Vacuum packing reduces freezer burn by preventing the food from exposure to the cold, dry air.

Q	Marinading
A	Vacuum seal your meat or fish with a marinade for just 1 hour and it's the equivalent of marinading for 24 hours in a normal dish. The reason for this is when the air is removed from the vacuum sealer bag, containing the meat and marinade, the pores of the meat open, allowing the marinade to add its flavour to the meat much more quickly.

Q

How long can vacuum sealed food be stored in the fridge?

A

Food Stored in the Fridge Normal Storage Using a Vacuum Sealer Boiled food 2 days 10 days Fresh meat 2 days 6 days Fresh poultry 2 days 6 days Boiled meat 4-5 days 8-10 days Fresh fish 2 days 4-5 days Cold meats 3 days 6-8 days Smoked sausages 90 days 365 days Hard cheeses 12-15 days 50-55 days Soft cheeses 5-7 days 13-15 days Fresh vegetables 5 days 18-20 days Fresh herbs 2-3 days 7-14 days Washed lettuce 3 days 6-8 days Fresh fruit 3-7 days 8-20 days Desserts 5 days 10-15 days   Food Stored in Cupboards Normal Storage Using a Vacuum Sealer Bread/rolls  2-3 days  7-8 days Pastry  120 days  300 days Dried food 10-30 days 30-90 days Raw rice/pasta  180 days  365 days Coffee/tea 30-60 days  365 days Wine 2-3 days 20-25 days Non-alcoholic drink (sealed)  7-10 days 20-25 days Non-alcoholic drink in a vacuum jar  2-3 days  7-10 days Baking goods  2-3 days  7-10 days Hazelnuts, walnuts etc. 30-60 days 120-180 days Crackers/potato chips  5-10 days  20-30 days

Q

How long can vacuum sealed food be stored in the freezer?

A

Food Stored in the Freezer Normal Storage Using a Vacuum Sealer Fresh meat 6 months 18 months Ground meat 4 months 12 months Poultry 6 months 18 months Fish 6 months 18 months Fresh Vegetables 8 months 24 months Mushrooms 8 months 24 months Herbs 3-4 months 8-12 months Fruit 6-10 months 18-30 months Cold meats 2 months 4-6 months Baking goods 6-12 months 18 months Coffee beans 6-9 months 18-27 months Ground coffee 6 months 12-34 months Bread/rolls 6-12 months 18-36 months

Q	Are all vacuum sealer bags safe to use?
A	Non-Foodgrade plastic can leach into foods, causing health problems, if the wrong sort of plastic is used in manufacture. All bags made in the EU are foodgrade and foodsafe complying fully with EU law. If you buy the made in China or if the country of origin is not stated, can you be sure?

Q	What is the difference between a vacuum seal bag & roll?
A	They are made out of the same type of embossed plastic but the roll is a tube of plastic and a piece of roll can be made into a bag by sealing one end of it, using the heat sealer part of your vacuum sealer. Every vacuum sealer that came with bags can use rolls and vice-versa.

Q	How do I know if a vacuum Sealer is powerful enough?
A	Vacuum sealers rated at less than -0.8 bar are not drawing enough air out to make your food fresher for longer.

Q	After vacuum packing should I keep food in the fridge or freezer?
A	If the food you have vacuum packed is normally kept in the fridge/freezer then it should still be kept in the fridge/freezer. Vacuum packing is not a substitute for freezing or refrigeration.

Q

What should I do if I’m vacuum sealing food with a high liquid content?

A

It is not recommended that you use vacuum bags or rolls for vacuum packing foods which contain a lot of liquid e.g. soups, sauces and smoothies etc. should be either pre-frozen before packing in a vacuum bag or use a canister. Chamber vacuum Sealer machines can however vacuum seal food with a high liquid content.  These machines use special chamber sealer bags.  These machines are however very expensive and are normally only used by restaurants, etc.

Q

Foods that require special preparation before vacuuming

A

There are some foods which for their own unique reasons you might not wish to vacuum pack or need special attention e.g. tomatoes, garlic and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts.  It is best to part-freeze tomatoes before vacuum sealing and pre-chill garlic, simply because the gases will not expand when frozen or chilled.  Cruciferous vegetables should only be vacuum sealed after blanching, cooling and drying. Mushrooms also need special attention to their preservation.  Before attempting to vacuum seal mushrooms they should either be marinated in a sauce or fully frozen. You may also find that burgers and sausages release air from within their mince meat after vacuum packing. The bag will look ballooned shape.  It is not that air has entered the bag, it is trapped air already contained within the produce that cannot be extracted by a vacuum pump in the first place.

Q

What is the best way to vacuum pack raw meat or fish?

A

For best results it is recommended that you pre-freeze meat and fish for around 2 hours prior to vacuum packing to ensure the retention of juices and shape it also ensures a better heat seal. If pre-freezing is not possible, just place a folded piece of kitchen paper or similar inside the vacuum bag above the meat/fish but below where the heat seal will take place, this helps stops any juices affecting the quality of the heat seal and reduces liquid entering your machine.

Q

What is the best way to vacuum pack vegetables?

A

Vegetables should be immersed in hot water quickly (blanching) prior to vacuum sealing them. The process of blanching stops the enzyme action and preserves flavour, colour and texture. One to two minutes in boiling water is enough for fresh leaf vegetables or beans, depending on the hardness of the vegetable e.g. carrots would take longer than green beans. After blanching, submerge the vegetables in cold water to stop the cooking process then dry them with a kitchen paper prior to vacuum packing.

Q	Vacuum seal non-food items
A	Vacuum seal non-food items with a vacuum sealer! For example, you can vacuum seal special photos, certificates or newspaper clippings to keep them free from moisture in the air damaging them as vacuum packing removes the air and moisture, so will keep them preserved for years to come. You can also vacuum pack jewellery to stop it tarnishing, or even your paintbrush to stop it drying out.

Q	Going on holiday?
A	Vacuum seal your shampoo bottles or similar for your holiday suitcase to stop them exploding and spoiling your clothes mid-air. How? The vacuum sealer removes the air, so the difference in air pressure does not then matter in the hold of the plane.

Q

External sealers vs.chamber sealers

A

What is the difference between an external sealer and a chamber sealer? External sealers use vacuum bags on the outside of the machine. Food is placed in the bag and the open end is inserted into the machine where the air is then removed and the bag is sealed shut. Chamber vacuum sealers work in a different way. Chamber sealers require the food and the bag to be placed inside the machine. The air within the chamber is then removed, the bag is sealed and the air is returned back to normal.

more