Tuesday, February 1, 2011

A Vacuum Sealing Machine Can Be a Great Tool for Your Home Business

Professional Marketing


A Vacuum Sealing Machine Can Be a Great Tool for Your Home Business

A Home-Based Business Can Benefit From a Vacuum Packing Machine

Retort Pouches Offer Great Advantages to Home-Based Food Businesses

Syndicated 11/15 to LinkVine, UAW, SYA

Keywords: vacuum sealing machine, vacuum packing machine, retort pouches

Anyone in the food-service business, from the owner of a five-star restaurant to a street vendor, knows that one of the greatest impacts on his bottom line is spoilage. In view of this, it makes sense to utilize any tool available that will eliminate this problem. One of the most affordable and money-saving tools currently available is a vacuum sealing machine. Basically, this method of preservation prevents oxidation by excluding air from food, thus avoiding the growth of mold and bacteria and preventing the freezer burn, drying and shriveling caused by exposure to air and moisture.

Aside from preventing undue spoilage, small businesses can save time and money in other ways through use of a vacuum packing machine. For example, many family-owned restaurants have discovered the benefits of doing their own butchering, purchasing a whole side of beef, breaking it down, and sealing and freezing the parts for use when needed.

Caterers can use this packaging method to keep fresh-frozen samples of their specialties ready for tasting by potential customers, while delis, pizza parlors, home bakeries and candy makers can vacuum-seal excess product to sell at a later date. Many restaurant kitchens cook basic ingredients like stock, sauces and gravies in large quantities, then store them in vacuum-sealed bags for use when needed.

Aside from these advantages, the ability to buy in bulk and prepare dishes in advance is both efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, many restaurant owners and caterers are more often patronizing small cooperative farms and farmer's markets for locally grown produce, and/or growing their own herbs and produce. The downside to growing your own or buying locally is the short shelf life. Nevertheless, “locavores” are lured to eateries that feature this produce, making vacuum packing for food preservation yet another benefit of owning this equipment.

Another recent packaging innovation is the retort pouch (which, contrary to popular belief, does not hold a kangaroo's snappy comebacks). This type of container consists of several layers of laminated materials, made to stand up to extreme conditions such as high heat, falling, bending, freezing and cooking. It's easy to open, it’s re-closeable and its contents can last up to five years without refrigeration. Until recently, the largest consumer of these packages was the Army, which packed servicemen’s field rations in the pouches because they are lightweight, easy to transport and can take a beating. Many products are now substituting retort pouches for metal cans, notably moist pet food and tuna. However, other products, including soups, sauces, seafood and several other pre-cooked foods, are now appearing on grocery store shelves everywhere. Small food operations would do well to investigate the retort pouch as an adjunct to vacuum packing machines, as both are very consumer-friendly packaging methods that can give sales and distribution a boost in the bottom line.

Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.

Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you need a vacuum sealing machine or retort pouches for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends http://www.vacuumpacker.com. They offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.



Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you need a http://www.vacuumpacker.com/">vacuum sealing machine or retort pouches for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends Professional Marketing Group. Specializing in food packaging since 1984, they offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.

Retort Packaging - Preserving Food And The Environment

Retort Packaging - Preserving Food And The Environment


by Stephen Daniels

Word Count: 416

Keywords: vacuum pack sealers, vacuum sealer, retort pouches



Retort packaging may not have the catchiest name you've ever heard, but the history and usefulness of this method of packing and preserving food are, at the least, interesting - and at most, nothing short of ingenious. With the ability to do just about anything a can or bottle can do - while enjoying several significant advantages over those two tried-and-true food containers - retort pouches are poised to start a revolution in the food-packaging industry.



Like many innovations, retort packaging owes its beginnings to the military. In the 60s, the United States Army was looking for a replacement for their much-maligned C-rations, which were packaged in small cans. MREs (or Meals Ready to Eat) were the solution, and these rations proved to be much more popular among soldiers for the simplest of reasons - the food tasted a lot better.



The reason food tastes better (and is more nutritious to boot) in retort pouches lies in the design. Due to their superior surface-to-volume ratio, it takes "MORE" (Revised from original article)  time to cook food in retort pouches than it does in cans. ( This is due to the tightly packed canner to keep the bags from exploding)  Run your canner 20% -30% longer at a minimum! Not only does this design ensure that the food will retain more of its taste and nutritional value, but thanks to the increased exposure to heat, users often find that their food remain fresher too.



Retort pouches are also an eco-responsible way to package food. The reduced cooking time (along with a few other factors) means that less energy is used in production, and the lighter weight means that transportation costs are reduced as well. Those aren't the only advantages, though. The larger package face means that enhanced graphics can be used to increase shelf appeal; the pouches are extremely durable (meaning there is no such thing as a dented can); and the packages take up less space in a warehouse and/or on store shelves. For the consumer, these packages offer re-sealable openings that allow you to save unused portions in the original package; this means less plastic bags for storing leftovers.



For those who are in the food packaging industry and who are already sold on the concept of a vacuum sealer, retort packaging is a great twist on the typical vacuum pack sealing. Just head out to your local grocery store to see the retort-packaged foods already on shelves: You'll find tuna fish, dry soup mixes, flavored almonds and treats for your pets, along with many, many other products.



With all these advantages, you could say that retort is truly the complete package.



Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.



Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed NetBiz SEO 2.0 researcher. If you need retort pouches or vacuum pack sealers for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends Professional Marketing Group. Specializing in food packaging since 1984, they offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.


Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Vacuum-Sealed Food Is Perfect For Sous Vide Style Cooking

Vacuum-Sealed Food Is Perfect For Sous Vide Style Cooking


by Stephen Daniels

Word Count: 408

Keywords: vacuum sealer, vacuum packer, home vacuum packers



Cooking vacuum-sealed foods sous vide style is not a new method, but it's increasingly catching on as an in-home alternative to using the oven. Sous vide means "under vacuum," the essence of it being that raw food is prepared precisely at the temperature it will be served. The process starts by sealing a cut of meat, seafood or even vegetables in a plastic pouch with a vacuum packer. The pouch is submerged into hot water heated to the desired temperature, letting the contents cook slowly and thoroughly.



Sous vide preparation takes much longer than traditional methods - 30 to 40 hours in some cases. While this amount of preparation is untenable in the short term, it allows one to start cooking a day or more before the meal. Among the benefits, less liquid is required to marinade foods, and none of the flavor is lost during the process. In terms of texture and flavor, the sous vide method is unsurpassed.



A medium-rare steak prepared sous vide isn't just medium rare on the inside, while remaining tougher on the outside - it is medium rare throughout. This method gives food a silky, smooth texture that is impossible with oven cooking. Even tough cuts of meat stay tender, with each bite melting in the mouth. Besides meats, all types of fish and seafood, vegetables and even eggs may be prepared sous vide.



This style of cooking requires a vacuum sealer to enclose foods in a sealed, airtight bag, as well as an even-heating pot. Sous vide has traditionally been limited to restaurants that have access to expensive equipment. However, many consumer-grade sealers and slow-cooking vessels are available to amateur gourmet chefs for far less money.



Besides preparing food for "under vacuum" cooking, home vacuum packers can be used for other purposes. Quickly seal freshly-blanched vegetables or uneaten portions of meals; or save money by buying in bulk, and vacuum sealing the majority for long-term storage. Home vacuum-packed foods also save a tremendous amount of space when stored. After sealing, they must be frozen, but they will store far longer and not suffer from freezer burn.



Sous vide is catching on with home gourmets, but it's been used by the world's top chefs for decades. One may even see demonstrations on TV cooking shows. While it takes many hours to prepare food in this style, the results are outstanding in terms of tenderness, texture and flavor, as well as nutrient retention.



Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.



Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you need vacuum sealers or retort pouches for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends Professional Marketing Group. Specializing in food packaging since 1984, they offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.