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Thread: Vacuum Sealing Food

  1. #1
    Tribesman paul standley's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Vacuum Sealing Food

    Quote Originally Posted by Fletching View Post
    I do, and I think a separate thread for that one (also in Wild Food & Cooking) will be a good idea as I've had mine for a couple of years now and there's a lot of tips I can give for that.

    Steve
    Great - I reckon the prep and sealing of of MRE's is something a lot of us would be interested in as they go hand in hand....Keep em coming.

    Paul.
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    Trapper Realbark's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fletching View Post
    I do, and I think a separate thread for that one (also in Wild Food & Cooking) will be a good idea as I've had mine for a couple of years now and there's a lot of tips I can give for that.

    Steve
    Any idea of the shelf life of these home vacuum sealed products compared to shop bought products?
    Time is precious - waste it wisely

  3. #3
    Tribal Elder Fletching's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Realbark View Post
    Any idea of the shelf life of these home vacuum sealed products compared to shop bought products?
    You can extend the shelf life quite considerably but it really depends on what your sealing and how careful you were when preparing the contents:

    'ADVANTAGES OF VACUUM-PACKAGED FOODS
    Vacuum packaging involves removing air from the food package. Oxygen in the air promotes certain reactions in foods that can cause the foods to deteriorate. Therefore, the removal of oxygen from the food package does extend the storage quality of preserved foods. For example, the presence of oxygen can cause fats to become rancid or foods to change colors. (For this reason, materials such as plastic wrap or freezer paper that block out oxygen as well as moisture are recommended for wrapping foods for storage.)
    DISADVANTAGES OF VACUUM-PACKAGED FOODS
    The removal of oxygen from a food package does not eliminate the possibility for all bacterial growth. Although it is likely to eliminate spoilage bacteria that cause deterioration in the quality of food in ways that would let you know the food was going bad (odor, color, sliminess, etc.), some pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria prefer low-oxygen environments and reproduce well in vacuum-packaged foods.

    For example, C. botulinum bacteria that cause the deadly botulism poisoning grow at room temperature in low-acid, moist foods in a low-oxygen environment. Oxygen in the environment offers some protection against C. botulinum growth in foods that are not vacuum packaged. If spoilage bacteria are not present, C. botulinum bacteria can reproduce even easier, making the food unsafe without obvious symptoms of the food being spoiled to warn the consumer.

    Vacuum packaging of dry, non-perishable foods such as nuts and crackers does extend their storage quality and these products are low enough in moisture that bacterial growth is prevented. However, these foods also store well in airtight containers without the expense of a vacuum-packaging machine.'


    (Source: http://www.canningpantry.com/vacuum-packaging.html)

    I would say, you can double shelf life on most things if stored normally (i.e. if you normally store in a fridge, continue to store in a fridge) but if you combine with dehydration, this can be months. Saying this, I'm working on dehydrated (cooked) sausage slices, but I would only want to keep them for about the same mount of time as MREs minus 50% as I don't want to add commercial preservatives. Like I say, I'm experimenting with the combination...

    Steve

  4. #4
    Trapper Realbark's Avatar
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    Steve - i dont think my last post post was to clear. What i was asking was for a comparison in shelf life , in your opinion, between commercially produced vacuum packed products and those which you produce at home. I realise you are trying to get away from the limited commercial items but am very interested in your own results and thoughts - Thanks
    Time is precious - waste it wisely

  5. #5
    Tribal Elder Fletching's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Vacuum Sealing Food

    Hi,

    I'm opening up this thread so that it will go with the 'Dehydrating Foods and MREs' thread (also in 'Wild Foods & Cooking' section) as they go together but each deserve their own threads.

    Here's the vacuum sealer that I use, along with my latest batch of 'one pot meals' that I made a few days ago.



    These are mostly combined ingredients that make up a meal like ramen, soya-based minestrone, bannock, trail mix, fruity porridge (with milk powder, salt, sugar and fruit), or single use packs for things like milk powder, cous-cous, mash and seeds.

    The advantage of packing like this is not only does your food last longer but it's waterproof and you can plan each meal quantity and weight before you pack your bag (you can also prepare emergency rations and seal things like first-aid kits etc too).

    I'll add more of my own tips in the next few days to coincide with the other thread, as I'm combining the two methods to, hopefully, come up with some decent home-made MREs.

    Steve

  6. #6
    Moderator & Poshcrafter™ Martin's Avatar
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    Sorry that some of these posts are not in chronological order but that was the way they went when I moved them from the dehydration thread. Anyway, hopefully these are the specific vacuum sealing posts and we will be back on track now.

    Martin
    Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

  7. #7
    Tribal Elder Fletching's Avatar
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    Thanks Martin!

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    Trapper klause's Avatar
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    Hi again Steve, we spoke yesterday on this subject concearning multi use packaging.
    I have been trawling the internet, on and off, for months on this topic yielding scant results. The problem i wish to overcome is how to make my own boil in the bags (i.e. Stew and dumplings, chicken curry, full breakfasts) last long/stay safe enough in your pack for say a weeks trek. Apart from expedition/ration pack items being expensive, I prefere my own recipes, my own ingredients and my own portion sizes (fatty, end of day, go to sleep size portions).

    I am in the process of buying a vacuum packer (suggestions welcome). However, having read information from various areas on home made MRE's they remain unreliable, without refridgeration, which is of no use during the summer months. I see you do not like to use commercial preservative, i would be interested to learn more about these and if appropriate purchase some in order to make my MRE's safe to take on extended or summer treks..

    I must say i'm 'made up' you've highlighted this area as it must be of uppermost importance not just to me but to most other bushcrafters/wild campers.
    There's no brew without fire.

  9. #9
    Tribal Elder Fletching's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by klause View Post
    ...having read information from various areas on home made MRE's they remain unreliable, without refridgeration, which is of no use during the summer months. I see you do not like to use commercial preservative, i would be interested to learn more about these and if appropriate purchase some in order to make my MRE's safe to take on extended or summer treks..
    Hi klause,

    This is why I'm experimenting with dehydration before vacuum packing - see thread 'Food Dehyrdation and MREs'

    For non-dehyrdated foods, here's some storage time comparisons:








    (Source: http://www.fresherpack.co.uk/docs/18/advice/)

    Steve
    Last edited by Fletching; 22-01-2011 at 11:44 AM. Reason: added tables of time comparison

  10. #10
    Ranger Ben Casey's Avatar
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    What make of machine are you using I have been looking at the net and want to get a decent priced one? The ones on your link are a bit pricey but if they are quality I would look at getting one.
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