All about vacuum food saver

The food vacuum was invented in 1984 by a man named Hans Christian. He called his machine the food saver, and it began a revolution. Christian based his machine on the commercial food savers of the time which utilised a "snorkel" or nozzle. Over time, the machine changed in design to be the channel style that it is today. This article addresses what a vacuum food saver is.

What does it do?

The vacuum food saver removes air from packages. The air contains gasses that include nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen. The gasses have the capacity to create chemical changes on whatever it comes in contact with. When steel rusts, it is "because the oxygen in the atmosphere is reacting with the iron in the steel to form 'iron oxide' or rust." The gasses in the air can also affect food. They can discolour food and cause its taste to be off. This is why the vacuum food saver can be helpful.

Food storage

By putting food in a food sealer bag and in the machine, the air is absorbed by the package. When this happens, the gasses that can cause the chemical reactions which spoil the food are removed. When food is kept in a food sealer bag and kept frozen, the food is able to stay in the freezer longer than in other bags, whether they are ziplock freezer bags or in a freezer container. By using both these methods, the air is not completely removed before sealing. Foods that can be at risk to freezer burn, such as fish or meat, will benefit from a vacuum food sealer.

What can be saved?

Food of any kind can be saved, including vegetables. However, sauces might be too messy a process. When buying in bulk, a vacuum food saver can be useful as it can divvy up the food into smaller portions, and then seal them in bags to freeze them. Leftovers can be vacuum packed for later use, thereby cutting down on waste. It is not just food that can be vacuum packed, but belongings as well. Camping supplies, clothing, first-aid kits etc. can be stored in a food storage bag and sealed.