SOLIS VAC PREMIUM Bedienungsanleitung Seite 110

W H Y D O V A C U UM PACKE D F OODS
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LAST LO N G ER ?
1. Chemical reactions in food with air, ambient temperature and dampness,
enzym-reactions, the formation of micro-organisms or contamination by insects
can spoil food.
2. The main reason why food nutrients lose their firmness and flavour is the oxygen
in the air. The formation of micro-organisms is usually caused by air, because
this removes the moisture of the foods, on the other hand, it also transports
ambient moisture back into the food if they are not hermetically sealed. Frozen
foods get in the freezer air, often the freezer burn.
3. The vacuum-system removes up to 90% of air from the packaging. Since air is
approximately 21% oxygen, it means that only 2–3% of the oxygen remains in
the packaging. However in an oxygen content of less than 5%, most micro-or-
ganisms cannot multiply.
4. In general, micro-organisms can be divided into three categories: mould, yeasts
and bacteria, they are present everywhere, but can only cause damage in
certain conditions.
5. In an environment with little air or moisture, mould cannot develop. In mois-
ture, sugar and warmth, yeast can spread with or without air, cooling slows the
growth of yeast and freezing stops it altogether.
6. Bacteria can spread with or without air.
One of the most dangerous bacteriums is Clostridium botulinum which can,
under certain conditions, spread without air – it only needs a temperature of
between 4 °C and 46 °C. It spreads in food without acid, in environments with
little acid and in temperatures that are above 4 °C for long periods of time.
7. Frozen, dried or acid rich foods or foods with a high salt or sugar content, cannot
contain the bacterium Botulinum.
The following foods can be lightly infected with Botulinum:
– Foods without acid e.g. meat, seafood, poultry, fish, eggs, mushrooms and
olives in brine
– Foods with little acid like most vegetable
– Foods with moderate acid content such as tomatoes, onions, chilli-peppers,
figs and cucumbers.
8. To store the above at-risk foods, you should keep them in the refrigerator for
short term storage or in the freezer, for long term storage, and after heating
they need to be eaten straight away.
9. Some enzymes in foods can change the colour, texture and flavour of foods,
which depends on storage time, storage temperature and oxygen. To prevent
this enzyme reaction, vegetable should be blanched or steam cooked for a short
time, or cooked in the microwave. Foods with a high acid content such as most
fruits, must not be blanched. In this case, vacuum packing is enough to slow or
inhibit the enzyme reaction.
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