Would you like to keep your food fresh for longer, extend its shelf life and even improve your cooking skills? Vacuum packaging bags will be your best choice and will become the perfect ally in your kitchen.
These airtight bags provide an effective way to maintain the freshness, flavour and quality of your food by avoiding contact with air and preventing the spread of bacteria. Whether you want to store meats, fruits, vegetables, ready meals or even use the sous vide cooking technique, vacuum packaging allows you to enjoy fresh and delicious ingredients on any occasion.
In this buying guide, we will take you through the process of selecting the right vacuum bags for your needs. We will explore essential aspects such as the materials of manufacture, the available sizes and thickness of the bags, as well as their compatibility with different types of vacuum packaging machines. We will also give you practical tips on how to get the most out of your vacuum bags and highlight important considerations to bear in mind during use.
¿Qué encontrarás en este artículo?
Benefits and uses of vacuum bags
Before we dive into the fascinating world of vacuum bags, it is important to understand the basics of this technique.
what is vacuum packaging? Vacuum packaging of food is a practice that offers many benefits, such as prolonging the shelf life of products and protecting them from external elements. It involves removing the air from the product to be packaged by creating an oxygen-free environment around the product through the use of specialised machines, such as vacuum packaging machines.
Applications and advantages of vacuum bags in the kitchen
So now let's get down to business, what are vacuum bags? Vacuum bags are a modern and efficient method of food preservation that has gained popularity in recent years due to their wide range of applications both in households and in the food industry. Here are some of the main ways in which they are used:
- Food preservation: vacuum bags are ideal for storing fresh foods such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy products. By removing air from the bag, the risk of spoilage is reduced and the quality of the food is maintained for longer.
- Marinating and marinating: by using vacuum pouches, food can be marinated or pickled more quickly and effectively. Being in a vacuum environment, flavours and seasonings penetrate the food more evenly and deeply.
- Sous vide cooking: certain vacuum pouches are suitable for sous vide cooking as they are specially designed to withstand high temperatures. This cooking method consists of cooking vacuum-packed food at a low temperature for an extended period of time. Vacuum bags allow precise and uniform cooking, keeping flavours and nutrients intact.
- Organisation and storage: Vacuum bags are also useful for organising and storing food in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer. Compressing food into vacuum bags saves space and prevents food waste.
Types of vacuum bags
did you know that there are different types of vacuum bags designed specifically for food packaging or cooking? There are a wide variety of options on the market today in terms of finish, thickness and intended use. Although these aspects vary, most bags share similar manufacturing materials such as polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA) and high barrier polyethylene (EVOH).
Polyethylene provides flexibility and strength, polyamide provides an excellent barrier against oxygen and EVOH provides a high barrier against gases. These materials combined in different layers allow for effective vacuum packaging and preservation of the quality of the packaged products.
Now, do you want to talk about the different models of vacuum bags? Here are some of the most common types:
Professional or plain vacuum bags
Professional vacuum bags are one of the key elements in professional vacuum packaging and have a unique feature: they are specially designed to be used in industrial or chamber vacuum packaging machines.
The process is simple but effective. This type of professional vacuum packing machine extracts the air from inside the bag, creating a vacuum that guarantees the preservation of your products. Once sealing is complete, the bag is ready for storage, transport or display.
The hermetic and secure sealing prevents air from entering and protects the contents from contaminants. In addition, these packaging machines tend to have a higher capacity and power, making them the ideal choice for commercial or industrial environments, such as restaurants or food businesses, where intensive use is required.
The smooth design of these vacuum bags and their use in conjunction with these machines are the key to efficient hermetic sealing. This not only helps to keep food fresh, but also protects its quality and taste - a double benefit for you and your customers!
Vacuum cooking bags
Within the professional vacuum cooking bags we find the well-known vacuum cooking bags, and you may wonder what makes them different from the previous ones? Everything about them is the same , but the main advantage of these professional bags is that they offer safe cooking, preserving the flavour and nutrients of the food. Their extreme heat-resistant design allows them to withstand temperatures of up to 120°C for long periods of time. In addition, they act as an effective barrier against oxygen and water vapour, maintaining the freshness of ingredients.
These pouches are ideal for techniques such as steam sterilisation and can be used in steam ovens, bain-marie and rummers (water circulators). Their main function is to maintain a constant temperature throughout the cooking process, ensuring exceptional precision in cooking times for each type of food.
Sous vide cooking becomes accessible and safe thanks to these bags. Experiment with new recipes and cooking techniques in an easy way and surprise your guests with delicious dishes. With sous vide cooking bags, you can enjoy tender meats, perfectly cooked fish and vegetables full of flavour and texture.
Become a culinary expert and taste perfection in every bite. The limit is in your imagination, explore the world of cooking with these amazing bags!
Domestic or embossed vacuum bags
When it comes to vacuum bags, there is no doubt that domestic or embossed vacuum bags are the most versatile of all.
what makes embossed vacuum bags so special? Their embossed design plays a key role in allowing them to be used in both professional packaging machines and household packaging machines, which are the most common in households and easily found in large supermarkets. This means that our embossed vacuum bags are not only versatile, but also highly functional and compatible with the most popular packaging machines on the market.
The embossed texture on one side of these bags plays a key role in the vacuum packaging process. How does it work? The small air escape channels created by the embossing facilitate the removal of trapped air from around the food. This prevents the formation of air pockets and improves the quality of the seal. As a result, oxidation and spoilage of the food is prevented, keeping it fresh for longer.
But that's not all. These embossed vacuum bags have incredible versatility and are suitable for a variety of needs. They can be used for storing meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and even cooked food and are ideal for both food preservation and vacuum cooking. However, it is important to bear in mind that they should not exceed 120 ºC or 20-30 minutes of cooking time.
Metallised vacuum bags
Metallised vacuum bags are bags that have a transparent front side and a back side with a gold or silver metallic coating. This metallic coloured coating gives the packaged product a more attractive and eye-catching appearance to the end consumer.
Initially, these bags were mainly used for the packaging of high quality sausages and sliced meats. However, their use has increasingly expanded to distinguish the finest pieces of fresh meats and other food products. These bags add a touch of distinction and highlight the quality of the contents, offering a visually pleasing presentation that appeals to customers.
Tips on choosing the best vacuum bag for your business
When it comes to choosing the right vacuum bags for food preservation and cooking, it is essential to consider some key aspects that will ensure optimal results. Below, we will provide you with practical tips on selecting the ideal vacuum bags, focusing on three key features: size, thickness and strength, and food safety certifications.
Making sure you get the right dimensions, a sturdy construction and the necessary safety certification is essential to finding the perfect vacuum bags and achieving the desired results in food preservation and cooking, so join us for a closer look at the importance of each of these factors and find out how they influence your choice of the right vacuum bags to meet your culinary needs!
And remember: too little vacuum can allow microorganisms to grow, while too much vacuum can affect the texture and quality of the food. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper vacuum sealing.
Appropriate size of vacuum bags
When choosing vacuum bags, it is essential to consider their size. Make sure the bags are large enough to hold the food you plan to store or cook. If the bags are too small, you will not be able to place the food comfortably and closing the bag will become more of a chore, which could affect the efficiency of the vacuum process.
It is advisable to have bags of different sizes to suit different foods and needs. And you may ask yourself, what sizes of vacuum bags can you find on the market? We tell you:
- Cut vacuum bags: for those who want a ready-to-use solution, pre-cut vacuum bags in different sizes are an excellent option. These bags, pre-defined in common sizes, offer convenience and time savings by eliminating the need to manually cut and seal each bag. You can find vacuum bags in a variety of sizes, from small individual bags to larger bags for bulky foods.
- Vacuum bags on a roll: If you prefer to have more control over the size of the bags, vacuum bags on a roll are the ideal choice. These bags come on a continuous roll that allows you to cut and seal to the desired length to suit your specific products. By offering this flexibility, vacuum bags on a roll help you reduce waste by adjusting the size of the bags as needed.
Thickness and strength of vacuum bags
The materials used in the manufacture of vacuum bags for food and their quality play a crucial role in their strength and durability.
The thickness of the bags, expressed in microns, is a determining factor in both the type of food they can hold and their specific use. It is advisable to look for bags with an optimum thickness to suit individual needs, generally within a range of 80 to 150 microns. These sizes will provide an appropriate balance between protection of the contents and flexibility of use.
| Micron vacuum bags | Recommended use |
| 80 µm | Storage of soft foods without pits and bones, such as vegetables, fruit and vegetables that are to be kept in cold storage only |
| 90 µm | Standard and most versatile micron size. Storage, freezing or cooking of foods such as meat, fish, sausages, vegetables. |
| 100 µm | Storage, freezing or cooking of foodstuffs such as meat, fish, sausages, vegetables. |
| 120-150 µm | Storage of foods with sharp edges, such as meat with bones or fish with bones. |
It is erroneous to think that selecting bags with a higher micronage will result in higher strength. While it is true that bags with a microns between 100 and 150 microns are more resistant when storing foods with sharp edges or tips, such as bones or bones, it does not mean that they are able to withstand high temperatures or long cooking times. The use of vacuum cooking bags is determined by the materials used in the composition of the bags, such as bioriented polyamide and polypropylene, which prevent the migration of plastic into the food.
It is therefore important to note that these recommendations are general and may vary according to individual needs and preferences. It is also possible to find vacuum bags with different micron ratings than those mentioned above, as availability may vary by manufacturer and supplier. It is always advisable to follow the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations for proper use of food grade vacuum bags.
Food safety certifications
When it comes to storing and cooking food, it is essential to ensure that vacuum bags meet food safety standards. Look for bags that are certified by recognised bodies such as the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) or EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), which guarantees that the material used is safe for contact with food and does not contain harmful substances.
Remember that although vacuum packaging can help extend the shelf life of food, it does not guarantee its safety indefinitely. Always trust your senses and if in doubt about the quality or safety of a food, it is best to discard it to prevent foodborne illness.
Where to buy vacuum packaging bags for food?
At Monouso, we have a wide range of vacuum packaging bags and vacuum cooking bags designed to meet all your packaging and cooking needs. Whether you are looking for bags to preserve fresh food for longer or for vacuum cooking, we have options for you.
We invite you to explore our online shop, where you will find a wide variety of options for vacuum packaging your food and products.
If you have any questions or need help choosing the right vacuum packaging bag, don't hesitate to contact us. Our customer service team is here to help you every step of the way. We want you to have the best possible shopping experience and are ready to answer any questions you may have.
Our goal is to provide safe and effective solutions to maintain the freshness and quality of your products, so don't hesitate to visit our shop and discover all the vacuum bagging options available!
