Angus Brands on the Benefits of Vacuum Sealing
- Protects food from freezer burn
- Protects food from dehydration
- Keeps food fresh for up to 14x longer than other food storage
- Increases storage space
- Enhances flavor
- Saves money
- Reduces Waste
- No harmful chemical preservation
“Oxygen in the air hastens both the chemical breakdown and microbial spoilage of many foods. To help preserve foods longer, scientists have developed ways to help overcome the effects of oxygen...” - US Department of Agriculture on “Meat & Poultry Packaging Materials”
And that development is, drumroll please…vacuum-sealed packaging! The USDA recommends removing meat from any store-bought Styrofoam packing materials before freezing, and wrapping food in heavy plastic or freezer safe bags. But even these can’t prevent freezer burn, and they take up a lot of space. At Angus Brands, we would just as soon skip the Styrofoam altogether and give you a product wrapped in a way that could preserve peak-freshness until use, whether it’s 2 weeks in the fridge or 2 years in the deep-freeze— something that is only possible with the absence of oxygen. That’s why we strongly believe vacuum-sealed packaging is the best method to deliver the freshest, most flavorful meat products to our community.
Protects from Freezer Burn & Dehydration
Nothing is worse than good food going to waste, and all too often it’s simply because of inadequate packaging. I’ve done it, you’ve done it- we’ve all done it: thrown something out that we paid for because it was kissed by that icky frost that tastes like a fridge smells when it hasn’t been cleaned in weeks (no judging).
Freezer Burn is what we call the damage that occurs to frozen food due to oxidation and dehydration. It happens no matter how many layers of plastic wrap, nor how many “freezer-safe” bags we layer. It happens because that packaging can only do so much. It’s not its fault, but it simply cannot prevent the root cause of damage: oxygen, which vacuum-sealing extracts from the package, slowing the process of oxidation and preventing dehydration.
Keeps Food Fresher for Longer
On average, frozen food that is not vacuum-sealed will last 6-12 months, and refrigerated food lasts an average of 1-3 days. In contrast, vacuum-sealed frozen food lasts an average of 2-3 years, and vacuum-sealed refrigerated food lasts up to 2 weeks. That’s up to 14x longer than food that is not vacuum-sealed.
Increases Storage space
With vacuum-sealing, all the air is taken away, causing the packaging to shrink wrap the food item. Vacuum-sealed food is slim and non-bulky. The air-tight seal prevents leaking, and with no fear of cross contamination, products can be stacked & stored closely together.
Improves Product Flavor
When food is vacuum-sealed, oxygen is kept out and all the flavor is kept in. One way to enhance flavor with vacuum-sealed meat is a process called Wet Aging.
Wet-aging is when you vacuum-seal meat and let it age in its own juices in the refrigerator, which greatly enhances the flavor. Add your own marinade and spices for a bigger, bolder, taste!
Saves Money & Reduces Waste
When meat has spoiled and must be thrown out, it represents more than just a waste of money; that trip to the store is wasted, those other things you bought to go with the thing that spoiled is wasted, etc. It’s lost time and energy, too. Vacuum-sealed meat products mean that you can cook on your own time. Your meat isn’t going to spoil if you don’t use it tonight or tomorrow, or even a week from now. Vacuum-sealed products do not need extra bags or wrap to keep them safe, which keeps plastic bags out of the waste stream. With purchasing vacuum-sealed meat products, you can expect an extended shelf-life of your meat, and you will rarely throw anything out due to spoilage again.
No Chemical Preservation
Harmful chemicals and additives are sometimes used in efforts to enhance and preserve flavor in packaged meat and other products. Vacuum-sealing preserves food naturally by preventing the growth of mold or bacteria, which cannot survive without oxygen*
Conclusion
While all meat packaging and refrigeration is designed to protect against oxygen and heat, most can only warrant freshness for a couple of days. Traditional packaging allows oxygen to permeate the package, creating an environment for bacteria.
In contrast, vacuum-sealed packaging is designed to seal out oxygen from around the product and tightly seal in flavor and juices, greatly lengthening shelf-life and over-all quality of product.
Angus Brands 2810 N. Hogan St. Spokane, WA 99207 509.482.7033